Toto Wolff now using ‘unusual’ Kimi Antonelli tactic that Lewis Hamilton and George Russell never experienced

Follow us on Google Discover

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli is quickly learning what it takes to make it as a Formula 1 driver.

A podium finish and a pole position, albeit for a Sprint Race, are what most rookies dream of during their debut Formula 1 season.

However, the mood around Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli right now is one of expectation rather than excitement.

Antonelli immediately caught the eye during pre-season testing, pushing the car to its limits despite his relative lack of experience.

A fourth-place finish in the torrential rain in Australia was a fantastic debut performance, even if he went out in Q1 and had a quick spin during the race.

His aforementioned performance in Miami when he was genuinely quicker than teammate George Russell over one lap was exceptional, and he took full advantage of Mercedes being fast in Canada to stand on an F1 podium for the first time.

However, the European leg of the season has not been kind to Antonelli, with mistakes creeping into his weekend and a lack of points scoring putting Mercedes on the back foot.

It’s forced team principal Toto Wolff to take ‘unusual’ action, as journalists Rebecca Clancy and Ben Hunt have noticed.

READ MORE: Know all about 2025 Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli including stats

Toto Wolff is being more ‘brutal’ with Kimi Antonelli than any other Mercedes driver

Speaking on the Inside the Piranha Club Podcast, Clancy was discussing Wolff calling the 19-year-old Mercedes rookie ‘underwhelming’ after the Italian Grand Prix.

Antonelli started sixth, but a slow getaway and a needless five-second time penalty saw him finish P9, while Russell came home in fifth.

Clancy explained: “Toto Wolff. It was pretty brutal from the Mercedes team principal.

“He said the whole race from Kimi Antonelli, the 19-year-old, was underwhelming. He started sixth, had a terrible start, and dropped straight down to 10th.

“He was then shown the black and white flag for repeated track limit offences. Then he had a 5-second penalty for driving erratically in a battle with Alex Albon in the Williams, which he ultimately lost out on, and he finished ninth.”

Hunt replied and said: “It’s unusual for Toto Wolff to be so direct. I don’t ever remember him being like that with George or Valtteri or Lewis or even Nico Rosberg when Lewis and Nico were fighting and taking chunks of bodywork off each other. So, it is a strange tactic.

“Maybe, it’s what he feels like he needs to be a bit more direct with Kimi just to sort of give him a little bit of a rocket, so to speak.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Mercedes F1 CEO and team principal Toto Wolff

Juan Pablo Montoya tells Mercedes what they need to do with Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Antonelli is being advised from every angle right now as he looks to try to establish himself on the grid.

Mercedes still haven’t officially confirmed Antonelli or Russell for next season, although Wolff has publicly said that both drivers will still be part of the team in 2026.

Juan Pablo Montoya has told Mercedes what they need to do with Antonelli after his struggles in Monza, having experienced being a new driver with plenty of hype in Formula 1.

Antonelli has fallen 128 points behind Russell in the drivers’ championship, and even Williams driver Alex Albon has leapfrogged after his strong performances.

The pressure was always going to be on the young Italian, given how excited Mercedes were about his introduction to F1.

He’ll be given the rest of the season to get his bearings, but Wolff will expect more in 2026, and the shift in his tone that the likes of Russell and Hamilton never experienced is an interesting development in his burgeoning Formula 1 career.