Antonelli rising star
When Mercedes realized the quality of their W17 for the 2026 Formula 1 season, they expected George Russell – thanks to his maturity and experience – to achieve the best results. And that Andrea Kimi Antonelli would grow calmly, perhaps finding greater consistency compared to the rollercoaster of highs and lows from last year.
Instead, Antonelli surprised everyone, achieving 6 wins, 6 pole positions, 6 fastest laps, and 9 podiums in just 11 races and firmly set the pace in the drivers’ championship, leading Lewis Hamilton by 50 points and George Russell by 59.
What impressed most about the Bolognese driver is his management of pressure despite the excellent results so far, especially considering his age, just 19 years old.
Wolff and the stereotype of the Italian driver
In an interview on July 25 with the Belgians of DH Les Sports, the head of the Mercedes team Toto Wolff spoke precisely about this aspect: “I was surprised by the way he handles the highs and lows during a season. He is in his bubble when he drives. And when he returns to the pits, he is impenetrable. Even in F2, his father Marco would approach him and he wouldn’t notice. He analyzes everything and moves forward.”
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Wolff then went on to say: “He is the antithesis of the stereotype of the very emotional Italian driver. He was shaped for F1. For top-level drivers, natural talent accounts for 90% of performance. The remaining 10% is work. With Kimi, preparation for F1 started when he was eight years old. He was already exceptional back then. Sometimes he has bad races, but he puts them aside to continue on his path. No one expected it, his teammate Russell first and foremost,” concluded the Austrian.
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