Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has asserted that Andrea Kimi Antonelli would not have endured the setbacks encountered on his path to becoming a Formula 1 World Champion had he raced for any other team. Wolff praised the Italian driver for navigating a challenging journey to secure the 2026 Drivers’ title.
Antonelli clinched the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix on November 1, 2026. He secured third place in the race, which was sufficient to claim the title.
At 20 years and 68 days old, Antonelli became the youngest world champion in the sport’s history, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s record. He is also the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
Wolff highlighted Mercedes’ role in Antonelli’s development. He stated the team trusted their data and their assessment of Antonelli’s personality and potential. Wolff indicated that Mercedes developed, nurtured, mentored, shielded, and protected the driver.
Antonelli’s F1 career began in 2025 when he replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. He became the third-youngest driver in Formula 1 history at 18 years old.
His rookie 2025 season was described as challenging, including a difficult period during the European leg of the campaign. Antonelli admitted he felt the pressure ‘completely destroy him’ during this time.
A crucial meeting with the team after the European season allowed him to ‘reset’ and rebuild confidence. Mercedes provided significant support, with Antonelli acknowledging their efforts to protect him through the overwhelming experience.
Despite the difficulties, Antonelli scored 150 points and achieved three podium finishes in his debut F1 season, ending the year seventh in the standings. He secured his maiden podium in Canada.
Prior to his F1 debut, Antonelli competed in the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship, finishing sixth overall. He skipped Formula 3, a decision considered a risk by many.
His F2 season included two victories, a Sprint Race win in wet conditions at Silverstone and a Feature Race win in Budapest. He achieved two podiums in total during his F2 campaign.
On the other side of the Mercedes garage, George Russell’s mathematical chances for the 2026 Drivers’ title concluded in Mexico City. Russell finished sixth in the Mexican Grand Prix.
Russell described his 2026 season as one of ‘setbacks and struggles to find consistency,’ which he deemed unprecedented in his career. He started the year with a victory in Australia but his championship challenge faded due to reliability issues and inconsistent performances.
In Mexico, Russell suffered a power deployment issue at the start and received a 10-second penalty for a collision with Isack Hadjar. He later reflected on the season, stating it had ‘more bad days than good’ and ‘atrocious luck.’
Wolff noted Russell’s professionalism and resilience, highlighting a call from the Briton on Monday morning after the Mexico race to discuss optimisation for upcoming events. Russell is contracted to Mercedes until at least the end of the 2026 season.
Mercedes currently leads the 2026 F1 Constructors’ Championship with 630 points after 19 of 23 rounds. They hold a 126-point advantage over Ferrari, who are in second place with 504 points.
The team is positioned to secure the Constructors’ crown. Mercedes will win the Constructors’ title if they outscore Ferrari by three points at the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix.
