Toto Wolff insists Mercedes is reaping the rewards for taking the “threat” of selling Andrea Kimi Antonelli right into a Method 1 race seat after the 18-year-old took pole place for the Miami dash race.
Antonelli has by no means raced in Miami earlier than however rapidly settled into the circuit and was on the head of the sector for Saturday’s dash race, changing into the youngest driver to take any format of pole place in F1 historical past.
Changing seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton with a teenage rookie for the 2025 season raised loads of eyebrows, particularly when Antonelli crashed out at Monza final 12 months in his first free follow outing for Mercedes.
Now although, having already scored 38 factors, Antonelli has taken the subsequent step by securing pole forward of the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
“There have been a number of voices, even throughout the sport, suggesting he ought to have a preparation 12 months at Williams or someplace comparable,” Mercedes staff principal Wolff instructed ServusTV.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures
“However for us it was clear: we needed to present him that 12 months of preparation inside our personal staff, in order that he’d be prepared for subsequent 12 months when the brand new rules are available and he already is aware of all of the circuits.
“We have been prepared to take that threat even when it meant errors. And now we’re being rewarded for our braveness. We at all times stated there can be errors. However he’s saved growing steadily and hasn’t made these errors, although they may come in some unspecified time in the future. However the mileage he’s put in is now paying off, and that’s what’s permitting him to carry out at this degree.”
Antonelli has been intently related to Mercedes since 2019, so Wolff has seen the Italian develop at shut quarters.
“This younger man – only a few years in the past, he was standing subsequent to me within the storage, eyes extensive, taking all of it in,” he added.
“It seems like that was solely yesterday. And now, the pace he’s displaying is unbelievable. He does not even know the monitor but, this was the subsequent large step. It might solely be a ‘mini pole’, however you’ve received to take it when it comes.
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“I instructed the cheering crowd within the storage immediately: ‘Okay, sufficient celebration. It is a dash qualifying pole, nice, however now the work begins for tomorrow. Let’s make certain we are able to replicate that efficiency in correct qualifying and for Sunday’s race’.”
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On this article
Mark Mann-Bryans
Method 1
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
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