Kimi Antonelli’s pivotal Toto Wolff chat amid Mercedes F1 2025 announcement claim

Kimi Antonelli with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

With Mercedes reportedly closing in on confirming Kimi Antonelli as Lewis Hamilton’s F1 2025 replacement, the teenager recalled a crucial talk with team boss Toto Wolff which restored his “confidence”.

Hamilton was confirmed as a Ferrari driver from next season before the F1 2024 action got underway, and not long after that, Mercedes’ 17-year-old protégé Antonelli started being mentioned as a major contender to replace Hamilton, having been sent straight to Formula 2 off the back of winning the Formula Regional European crown.

Toto Wolff restored Kimi Antonelli’s confidence in ‘tough time’

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Considering the young Italian has collected titles at every turn on the junior scene, with Mercedes’ excitement over his potential made clear by Wolff, many had expected him to blitz the competition in Formula 2 as well, but it was a slow start to the campaign with his first podium and win not arriving until the Silverstone sprint race.

There Antonelli shone in the rainy, treacherous conditions, but speaking with Autosport, he revealed that this performance came after he turned to Wolff following qualifying, in a “tough time” and needing some guidance, which is exactly what Wolff provided.

Asked if he took success in F2 for granted considering that was widely expected of him from observers, Antonelli replied: “No, because I never expected to go straight into F2.

“When they informed me that this was the plan, I thought it would be a big jump, because you usually go to F3 first, but at the same time the challenge was immediately appealing to me.

“I didn’t plan on coming to F2 and winning everything, I was always aware that the jump from Formula Regional would be very challenging and I was aware that I had a lot to learn, which I am still doing.

“I am also very happy with the relationship I have [with Wolff]. In difficult moments I ask him for advice and he always looks for a way to give me confidence.

“I’ll give you an example. After the disappointing qualifying in Silverstone I called him because it was a bit of a tough time. We talked a lot and that conversation gave me back my confidence, and the next day I won and it was really nice to see him under the podium.

“When you go through difficult times, I think you come out stronger in the end, also in terms of attitude. Silverstone and Budapest confirmed it.”

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As Antonelli alluded to, he would follow that Silverstone sprint win with his first feature race victory at the Hungaroring, as he looks to keep building momentum through the remaining rounds. It has been claimed though that at the next F2 destination, Monza, the home race of Antonelli, he will be announced as a Mercedes driver for F1 2025.

Alongside F2, Antonelli has also completed multiple tests in Mercedes F1 machinery, and for any critics he may have, he warned he does not fear being judged.

On the idea of being an F1 2025 rookie, Antonelli said: “Some degree of worry I think is always there, the prospect of not being able to perform I think frightens everyone.

“My approach is to see it as a great opportunity to learn, grow, and also enjoy the moment.

“I’m not afraid of being judged, I know Mercedes has a clear opinion about my potential, already this season in F2 the championship didn’t kick off in the best way but there were no negative thoughts.

“I am quite calm, if the opportunity presented itself to me I would take it with eagerness and try to make the most of it.

“Recently there has been some pressure on me with all the rumours about next year, but I have always tried to enjoy it. I’m enjoying the opportunities I have.”

Antonelli received a further outing in Mercedes F1 machinery at Spa-Francorchamps following the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, as he took their 2022 challenger, the W13, for a drive around the iconic venue.

But in confirming that outing, Mercedes’ head of trackside engineering Andrew Shovlin also opened up on the headache that arranging such a test brings.

“It’s difficult to find opportunities to run a TPC programme because the F1 race calendar is so busy. We haven’t got a whole separate team of people that can do that,” Shovlin told media including PlanetF1.com.

“That’s one of the realities of the cost cap is that you haven’t got the test team that you used to have in years gone by and Kimi is pretty busy with his F2 calendar, which, when you’re in Europe, is quite a focus.

“We’ve got more events planned. We’re doing a day with him here in Spa after the weekend.”

Antonelli sits P7 in the current F2 Championship standings with four rounds of the season remaining.

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