‘Like an AI agent’: Wolff hails Antonelli’s Italian GP victory in title charge

Toto Wolff has compared Kimi Antonelli to the greats of Formula One after the Mercedes driver’s remarkable victory at the Italian Grand Prix where he came back to take the flag from 19th place on the grid. The Mercedes team principal cited the win as similar to some of the best made by Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, and said that Antonelli would likely remember the race as one of the greatest of his career. Antonelli, 20 years old and in only his second season in the sport, delivered an exceptional drive to take victory in Monza, fighting his way through the field and ultimately beating his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, who had started in second on the grid, into the runner-up spot.

Wolff, who had been insistent that bringing Antonelli into the team last season was the right decision despite questions being raised over his youth and relative inexperience, felt Antonelli had definitively proved himself. In 2024 he had made his debut for Mercedes in the first free ­practice at Monza and was left disappointed when he crashed out at the ­Parabolica corner, leaving some questioning his credentials. His win on ­Sunday, Wolff felt, had finally put the ­incident to bed.

It’s how the circle closed,” he said. A moment where everyone doubted, including himself. Even if he wins another 200 grands prix, that one will always remain special.” Antonelli endured a difficult first season in F1 last year as he learned the ropes but has come on with extraordinary alacrity.

He now has seven wins this season, including a run of five in a row, is in a strong position to close out the championship and Wolff compared his ability to learn and improve to that of advanced artificial intelligence. He’s been at all the races, he’s seen the pressure of the media, the attention that he gets. It’s in a way that the system has been processed and saved.

But it is still surprising and amazing to see how quickly he develops. For me it’s like an AI agent that continuously self-improves and learns.” Russell, the more experienced driver at Mercedes, has a huge task ahead and admitted his teammate was all but uncatchable. I am sort of accepting that is what it is and I am going to try and enjoy it from here on in and win as many races as possible.”