Mercedes told to make immediate Kimi Antonelli decision as Toto Wolff changes tack

Toto Wolff was, for the first time, publicly critical of the performance of teenage driver Kimi Antonelli after the Italian Grand Prix in which the Mercedes driver struggled for pace

Mercedes have been told to pull the trigger on a contract extension for Kimi Antonelli despite the teenager’s continued struggles. The Italian made an exception start to life in Formula 1 as an 18-year-old, finishing fourth on debut in a rain-soaked and treacherous Australian Grand Prix.

The youngster, fast-tracked into F1 to replace Lewis Hamilton, who had decided to leave for Ferrari, built on that first result with back-to-back sixth-placed finishes in China and Japan. Antonelli then went on to turn heads by qualifying on pole for the Miami sprint in May, and took his first podium at the Canadian Grand Prix a month later.

But that red-letter day in Montreal has been one of very few bright spots in recent months. Since the European season began, his form and results have nosedived which, in combination with a Mercedes car which has become more difficult to drive with upgrades, has destroyed the teenager’s confidence.

At Monza on Sunday, Antonelli finished ninth to score points for only the second time in the nine Grands Prix held in Europe this year. But, after the race, team principal Toto Wolff was critical of the teenager’s race pace having slipped down from his starting position of seventh on the grid.

“Underwhelming this weekend – underwhelming,” the Austrian said of his young driver’s performance, in a change of tack compared to how he had previously excused every mistake because of Antonelli’s age and inexperience. “It does not change anything on my support and confidence in his future because I believe he is going to be very, very, very good. But today was… underwhelming.”

Wolff has said on record in recent weeks that both his drivers will get contract extensions and race for Mercedes in 2026. Yet, neither Antonelli nor George Russell have yet put pen to paper on a new deal.

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To help the younger of the Silver Arrows racers find some stability, Sky Sports commentator David Croft believes Mercedes need to speed up that process. “I wonder if maybe because of his age, or the person that Kimi is, he does dwell on the negatives a bit more than other drivers, and some of his other peers would,” he said on Sky’s The F1 Show podcast.

“If that is the case, maybe what he actually needs is a bit of an arm around his shoulder and a confidence boost from the team, that says, ‘You are definitely our driver for next year, don’t worry. This is a rookie year, we believe in you’. I agree with Nico [Rosberg], he is an exceptional talent.”

Speaking on the same podcast, Rosberg noted his old boss Wolff’s change of tack at Monza. The 2016 champion said: “The only choice you really have is to just give Kimi the most time possible in the most calm way possible, and that means also not criticising him publicly. And so this change of tone from Toto for the first time ever… usually there is a reason behind it. Toto is very calculated in his comments.

“Perhaps he is wanting to put some pressure on Kimi and his family to try a different approach, modify their approach, review their approach. But the fact of the matter is, Kimi is a generational talent, we all know that, but it is more difficult for him than we all thought so far. And it is a bit strange that it is still so difficult.”