Toto Wolff doesn’t think Kimi Antonelli “would have lasted in other teams”

Formula 1 is a vicious meat grinder for young talent. If a rookie doesn't perform immediately, there is usually a very short leash before a team principal shows them the door.

For Mercedes, taking a massive gamble on teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton was the ultimate risk. And as team boss Toto Wolff freely admits, there was a dark stretch during the Italian's 2025 rookie campaign where almost any other team on the grid would have pulled the plug.