Antonelli Struggles in Monza: Wolff Supports the Young Mercedes Driver

Toto Wolff Evaluates Kimi Antonelli’s Performance in Monza

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted that rookie Kimi Antonelli’s performance at the Italian Grand Prix was “disappointing,” but reaffirmed his confidence in the young driver as a future star. Antonelli, who struggled in his home race, qualified in seventh place and finished ninth. During the second practice, 19-year-old Antonelli spun, and during the Grand Prix, he received a final black and white warning flag for repeated track limit violations, as well as a five-second penalty for pushing Williams driver Alex Albon off the track.

“Disappointing this weekend. Disappointing,” Wolff said of the rookie’s race. “You can’t put the car in the gravel and expect to be there. The whole race was disappointing.”

Toto Wolff

Despite the disappointment, Wolff emphasized his support and confidence in Antonelli’s future.

Although there was great anticipation about his talent, and despite a podium finish at the Canadian Grand Prix in June, Antonelli’s performance has declined. Mercedes has acknowledged that this season has been a steep learning curve for Antonelli, who replaced Lewis Hamilton. Wolff, who briefly considered Max Verstappen as an option for 2026, has confirmed that Antonelli will continue alongside George Russell in 2026. When asked about how Mercedes can unleash the young driver’s potential, Wolff replied that they need to find a way to eliminate the pressure he carries with him.

“Just free him. Free him,” Wolff said. “He’s a great driver. He has this incredible natural skill and talent. He’s a racing driver. Everything is there. But we need to get rid of the ballast.”

Toto Wolff

Added: “I think a clean weekend means almost not carrying too much trauma from previous mistakes into the next session or the next weekend, because that’s [baggage]. You’re not going to attack the curve hard if you’ve gone off before finishing your session or maybe you’re not attacking a driver who shouldn’t be in your way.” Antonelli is eighth in the championship, 124 points behind Russell.