Toto Wolff Defends Kimi Antonelli After a Difficult Weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has come to Kimi Antonelli’s defense after a difficult weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix. Wolff acknowledged that it is normal for young drivers, like Antonelli, to experience ups and downs in their debut season. Antonelli’s race on the Dutch circuit ended abruptly when he collided with Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari at Turn 3, forcing both drivers to retire. The young Italian driver, 19 years old, managed to get into sixth place during the race after qualifying in eleventh position, but he had a complicated weekend from the start. Wolff recalled that the team expected a season full of challenges for Antonelli. “When we announced in Monza last year that we would give him the opportunity, we also said that it would be a year of learning,” Wolff commented. “There will be difficult moments and others of brilliance. I think this weekend sums it all up.” Mercedes’ boss also highlighted the importance of allowing Antonelli to learn and develop. “We want him to go for the maneuvers, obviously. There will be ups and downs, but I expected this from this season, and every day will be a learning experience for next year. We are not fighting for the constructors’ championship; of course, second and third place are at stake, but this is less relevant than next year, when it will be important to score points.”
Wolff also indicated that both Antonelli and George Russell will continue with the Mercedes team next season. Although there has not yet been an official announcement, the news is expected to be confirmed soon. Wolff explained that Russell’s renewal is in the process of optimizing some details of the contract, including travel and marketing days, with the aim of maximizing the performance of both drivers. “With George, there are some things we want to optimize. Some of the travel and marketing days. How many hours we are putting in. He is an experienced driver,” Wolff concluded.“It’s not just the rookie season, what we forget is that we made the decision to put an 18-year-old in the car, who had barely two and a half years of racing in single-seaters”, added Wolff. “When you see him, he’s still a kid we’ve thrown into this environment.”
Toto Wolff
