Why Jacques Villeneuve is fuming with Toto Wolff’s treatment of Kimi Antonelli

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Kimi Antonelli is back on Formula 2 duty at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after his FP1 debut for Mercedes at Monza last time out. Antonelli must refocus after the Silver Arrows announced him as one of their drivers for 2025.

The Italian sits sixth in the championship and, while he isn’t in title contention, he’ll be looking to add to his haul of two victories. There are three rounds remaining, each with two races.

Antonelli will naturally have a target on his back in F2 given that he’s been confirmed as Lewis Hamilton’s successor. Having only just turned 18, he’s set to become one of the youngest drivers in the history of Formula 1.

Questions over his readiness intensified after he crashed on his just second flying lap in Italian GP practice. Antonelli appeared to carry too much speed into Parabolica and lost control of the car, sliding through the gravel and into the tyre wall at high speed.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff immediately reassured him over the team radio. There was no indication that the mistake planted any internal doubts over the driver decision.

It was Antonelli’s first time driving the 2024 car but he does have experience in the current generation of F1 machinery. He’s extensively tested the 2022 Mercedes as part of a behind-the-scenes programme.

Jacques Villeneuve says ‘it’s obviously too early’ for Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes

Speaking during Sky Sports F1’s coverage of FP1 in Baku, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve declared that Antonelli is ‘not ready’ for F1. In his eyes, the ‘overdriving’ that led to the Monza crash was a telling indication.

When it was put to him that the Italian had clearly impressed Mercedes engineers in a testing programme, he countered that this wasn’t a representative challenge. It didn’t come with the ‘pressure’ of a Grand Prix weekend.

Villeneuve said: “Toto Wolff doesn’t want to see that he is not ready. It’s obviously too early, the way he put it on the wall on his second lap by overdriving right away.”

• READ MORE: Who is 2025 Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli? Everything to know

“It’s testing. It’s not the same mindset. You have nothing to compare. There’s no pressure, no stress.

Lead commentator Harry Benjamin then asked whether Wolff should have placed him at Williams instead. George Russell spent three years with the Mercedes engine customers before stepping up to be Hamilton’s teammate.

Villeneuve reckons that James Vowles would have turned down the opportunity to sign the youngster to avoid becoming a de facto Mercedes b team. The Grove outfit have instead captured three-time race-winner Carlos Sainz, who was snubbed by Wolff.

He said: “Williams would probably not have taken him. Williams is not in a mindset to prepare drivers for other teams now.”

What Carlos Sainz Sr privately said about Kimi Antonelli’s Monza crash

Hamilton’s sensational move to Ferrari has clearly accelerated Antonelli’s development plan. Mercedes may have wanted to keep him in F2 for another year, or blood him further down the grid, but they had a vacancy in their team earlier than expected.

Antonelli has shown flashes of brilliance across the junior categories, and even in Monza his instant speed was impressive. Mistakes are inevitable, but the question is how many he’ll make, particularly when his team could be in a position to compete for the title next year.

Like Villeneuve, Carlos Sainz Sr was critical of Mercedes after Antonelli’s accident. He couldn’t believe that they’d given him a ‘cart blanche’ to ‘destroy’ the car.

Valtteri Bottas warns Antonelli faces a ‘shock’ at the start of the 2025 season. But the ex-Mercedes man is confident he’ll be well-prepared.