Wolff confirms: 'Antonelli will one day drive a Mercedes'
F1 News
Andrea Kimi Antonelli is one of the greatest young talents in motorsport. Rumours suggest that the Italian will make his Formula 1 debut for Mercedes at the age of 18. Toto Wolff confirmed to Sky Sports before the race that Antonelli will most likely drive for Mercedes one day.
In recent years, Antonelli has won major championships in both karting and single seaters. This year, he is driving his rookie season in Formula 2, while he is still only 17.
'Antonelli will one day drive for Mercedes'
When asked about his Mercedes junior, Wolff replied, "Everything in the category that he participated in was a success. He won all of that as a rookie, and his karting record is immaculate. He's going to end up in a Mercedes one day, that's clear. The question is only when.
Wolff doesn't hide the fact that he is a big fan of Antonelli. So the question is: should Russell be worried about the team boss's enthusiasm for the Italian? Wolff replies, "No, I think I was always very enthusiastic about each of the drivers that we had in the team."
The chance of Antonelli driving at Mercedes next year is there, as a possible arrival of Verstappen is off the table. As Wolff reaffirms, "Why would he? The car is ultra-dominant. Maybe he's going to win every race, and the driver will always seek that kind of machine. 2026 is our main year where lots of things changed, and I think it could be quite attractive to drive with us, whether it's Max and whether he can get out of his contract. All of these driver movements here are not the end of the story."