Toto Wolff impressed by Kimi Antonelli: “His best race so far”

Three races, three wins… and a dominance that's really starting to make an impression. In Miami, Kimi Antonelli didn't just win—he put on a commanding performance. And over at Mercedes, Toto Wolff made no secret of his admiration.

As has often been the case this season, Kimi Antonelli had to deal with a tricky start. Caught off guard by Charles Leclerc's early braking into the first corner, he locked up his wheels and ceded the lead to the Monegasque driver. A familiar scenario… but one that didn't throw him off his game.

In a lively race, marked notably by Verstappen's spin right at the start and numerous strategic battles, Antonelli managed to regain the lead. Overtaking Leclerc, managing Norris, then controlling the race despite a gearbox issue: an almost perfect performance.

Enough to impress his boss.

“It's easier to slow down or rein in a fiery driver, because you can't make a donkey run faster,” Toto Wolff remarked with his usual bluntness. “For me, this was his best race so far. It reminds me of his early days in karting and Formula 4.”

Mercedes is clear-eyed about its weaknesses

While Antonelli shone, Mercedes isn't shying away from its own shortcomings. Starts remain a weak point, and Miami was no exception.

But for Wolff, the problem is a team-wide one:

“It's absolutely not his fault,” he insisted. “I think the mistakes made yesterday and today were collective mistakes. We all know that's not enough. We're not giving them the tools they need, whether it's for the clutch or estimating grip.”

A clear-eyed assessment, on a weekend where the competition—led by McLaren—has clearly closed the gap.

“We're the only ones who haven't found the right formula in the last few races. So we need to dig even deeper to figure out how to fix this, because I agree: the gap isn't big enough to let us pull away, and as a result, we can't afford to mess up our starts.”

Under pressure… but never cracked

Toward the end of the race, Lando Norris closed the gap to less than a second. The Brit was pushing hard, and Antonelli held his ground. It was a tense duel where the slightest mistake could have turned everything upside down.

But the Italian didn't falter. He held on, managed the race, and stayed in control. And ultimately extended his lead to win by more than three seconds. Impressive maturity for a 19-year-old driver. At Mercedes, they're savoring the moment… while remaining cautious.

“There's a risk he might take a turn too quickly,” Wolff acknowledged. “We know his parents will make sure he keeps his feet on the ground.”

For while his performance is exceptional, managing this meteoric rise will be just as crucial.

“I find these few races astounding. In a way, this is what we predicted as a team: ups and downs last season, moments of genius and moments of intense frustration.”

A meteoric rise

Today, the “lows” seem far behind. “This year, everything is falling into place. I don't think any of us could have expected such a run. We've given him a high-performance car and a suitable engine, but his ability to make the most of it every weekend is remarkable.”

In Miami, Antonelli proved one thing: he's no longer content just to learn. He's already setting the pace.