Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes it will take three full seasons for teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli to properly mature as a driver, emphasizing patience and growth as the young Italian navigates the complexities of modern Formula 1.
Antonelli, who recently claimed his first podium at the Canadian Grand Prix, becoming the third-youngest driver to achieve a top-three finish in F1, is seen as a world championship material by the Brackley-based squad.
Speaking recently on Bloomberg’s Hot Pursuit podcast, Wolff explained that his confidence in Antonelli is rooted in the 18-year-old’s impressive karting pedigree and long-standing involvement in Mercedes’ junior program.
"Kimi's been in our junior programme since he was 11, and you can today recognise talent - I would say from the age of 10 - when kids start to compete in international go-karting series," Wolff said.
"We have a good group of scouts in our Mercedes-Benz junior programme, and that's important. In a way, it works like soccer academies or tennis academies that identify talent very early on."
Antonelli’s early dominance in karting, often competing against older rivals, signaled his clear potential.
"If a kid starts at the age of eight and is already competitive against older children, that's a good indication,” Wolff added.
“If that child wins the championship a year younger than everybody else, that's another good indication. And Kimi has been winning throughout these categories. That's very exceptional.”
Modern F1's Learning Curve
Despite Antonelli’s early flashes of brilliance, Wolff emphasized that adapting to modern F1 is a steep learning curve for rookies – one complicated by the all-important nuanced art of tyre management.
“It's become very difficult to manage the tyres,” he said. “It's not just about speed – how fast you can go on a single lap or over a race – but about nurturing the tyres to drive as fast as you can and at the same time not sliding and not letting them overheat, because you lose tons of lap times.
“And that is the limitation for young drivers coming up.”
Wolff pointed to McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who now leads the 2025 drivers’ championship, as an example of how long it takes young drivers to master this hidden dimension of F1 racing.
“A good example is Piastri, who is leading the championship. It took him a year and a half to catch up to Lando Norris. And this is the first year he has an edge on him. And that is, I think, just tyre management.”
A Three-Year Vision
Antonelli currently sits seventh in the championship standings with 63 points – an impressive total for a rookie still unfamiliar with many of the circuits on the calendar. But Wolff was clear: Mercedes sees Antonelli’s journey as a long-term investment.
“With Kimi, he doesn't know all of the circuits – it was his first time in Montreal – so you start with a massive disadvantage. But the car was good, and he was able to be fast,” Wolff said.
“Yes, you probably need to look at a three-year programme and say that’s the time needed for a young driver to challenge the more experienced team-mates – that are also super fast.
“I mean, George [Russell] today is among the best drivers in Formula 1. And that's something you need to give young drivers time. You need to accept there will be difficult weekends, underperformance – but that’s just part of how it goes.”
No Seat Rotations, Only Faith
Wolff was also firm in his stance against seat rotation or short-term assessments (he was looking at you Alpine), arguing that young drivers need continuity and backing to reach their full potential.
“I think when you take the right decision in terms of talent, you must be very conscious of who you're putting in the car. And if that young driver shows a lot of promise, you also need to give them time to develop. That's what we're doing with Kimi,” he explained.
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Antonelli keeps focus after maiden F1 podium: ‘Still work to do’“There were lots of voices that said, ‘How can you put an 18-year-old in a car?’ Especially in a Mercedes – it's not like competing in a smaller team where you're under the radar. You're being catapulted into a seat where people expect you to be on the podium or win races.
“That’s been our philosophy. We wouldn't give anyone a seat if we didn't think they could be a champion of the future.”
As Antonelli continues his rookie season, Mercedes’ message is clear: the pressure may be high, but the patience will match it.
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