Toto Wolff now thinks ‘impressive’ 17-year-old driver has a seriously exciting future

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Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said that teenage academy driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli has a huge future ahead of him.

Antonelli will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of George Russell and win Formula 2 this year to set himself up for a drive in F1.

However, speaking to Speedweek, Toto Wolff has taken the pressure off the 17-year-old admitting he doesn’t expect miracles from the Italian this year.

There hasn’t been a wealth of talent emerging from the junior formulas in recent years.

Oscar Piastri appears to be the exception, winning a Sprint Race in Qatar during his rookie campaign.

However, the previous two F2 winners have failed to get onto the grid, with Felipe Drugovich and Theo Pourchaire still waiting for their opportunity.

This year could be different though, with two drivers in Formula 2 that people are getting very excited about.

Ferrari youngster Ollie Bearman has a bright future ahead of him and a potential F1 seat in 2025 is already lined up.

Mercedes youngster Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the other driver although Toto Wolff is trying to keep the pressure off the teenager.

He’s dominated virtually every series he’s raced in, so much so that he’s skipped Formula 3 altogether.

Antonelli will be in one of the quickest cars on the F2 grid which could see him challenging for podiums and wins from the get-go.

Mercedes chief Wolff praises Antonelli

Speaking about the 17-year-old, Wolff said: “His track record in karting was already impressive and then he moved up to the junior formulas and won every single season in his rookie year.

“But we have to be careful because there is a lot of hype around Kimi. Bringing him into F2 is a big step because these cars are heavier and have a lot more power.”

“If we give him time and don’t expect him to surpass everything in his first season, I think he can become a great in this sport.

“We’ll see how things go in Formula 2. They have new cars there, which is an advantage for him. But there are some great competitors who are contesting their second Formula 2 season this year and are also highly rated.

“He has to show that he is ready for a place in Formula 1. And first, we have to concentrate exclusively on Formula 2.”

Antonelli might hope that he’s working alongside Wolff at Mercedes sooner rather than later.

However, his best route in F1 might be with Williams and the two teams already have a strong relationship.

It’s the way George Russell found his way onto the grid and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Italian made the same step forward.