Why Andrea Kimi Antonelli's strongest F1 results have come a...

Toto Wolff explained why the highlights of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s rookie Formula 1 season have all come at unfamiliar circuits after he finished second at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

That was the 19-year-old’s second podium of 2025, after taking third place in Canada, with the other positive highlight of Antonelli’s campaign being when the Mercedes driver took pole for the Miami sprint race.

But those are three tracks he hadn’t previously raced at and usually one would expect a rookie to be stronger around the circuits they visited during their days in the junior formulas.

That hasn’t been the case for Antonelli though, because across the nine mid-season European rounds, he only claimed two point-scores amid a very up-and-down season for the Italian who is seventh in the standings.

His positive results have been marred by several crashes and needless mistakes, while he even admitted to not coping with the pressure at his home race in Imola - from which he retired.

So Mercedes boss Wolff thinks not experiencing such adulation from fans at non-European rounds has actually helped Antonelli, who held off a late charge from Max Verstappen at Interlagos to keep second.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

“All weekend he was strong,” said Wolff, as Antonelli also finished second in the Sao Paulo sprint. “Maybe it was coming to a track that he didn't know - it's a bit easier.

“Expectations are maybe lower. Maybe pressure is not as high as some of the Europeans and then the execution was faultless at the end: being able to fend off Max on a newer and softer tyre, well that was really strong and testament to what's to come.”

F1 has perhaps been Antonelli’s first time against superior opposition, given he has a supreme junior record with four titles across 2022 and 2023 which led to him being fast-tracked into F2.

He has a particularly strong team-mate in George Russell and Wolff thinks that could be another factor in how Antonelli has just needed time to adjust to the premiere series.

“I think it's also managing his own expectations, he's so young, he's just 19 years old,” said Wolff. “You come to a track where you know you've performed very well in the past, some of the European ones, and then on the back foot.

“You have a sensational team-mate that is as good as it gets, and I think coming to a track that you don't know is almost like less pressure, your expectations are lower, everybody else's expectations are lower, the kind of fan pressure is less than on some of the European tracks, and I think that plays a big role.”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

There was even debate over Antonelli’s future for 2026, as talk of Verstappen joining Mercedes was strife during the summer until the four-time world champion publicly committed to Red Bull.

Antonelli has since had his contract renewed and Wolff insisted that the extension was always part of the plan, having never doubted the youngster even during his poor form midseason.

“I was always confident he's going to get the necessary grip, that's why it was always clear that Kimi is going to stay with us next year,” said Wolff. “So there was no doubt that with these complicated cars, the management of the tyres is something that you need to learn.

“In that respect, that's a great result. One of the good days. Like I said, there were many more difficult [occasions], but there was not a single moment of doubt in how he's coming, but I always try to dampen the expectations on him.

“The Italians talked about the legend Kimi Antonelli after Montreal, after Miami, and that's an additional pressure. So let's keep both feet on the ground. He was second, he fended off Max today, that was very impressive, but we want to win races and fight for championships.”

Photos from Sao Paulo GP - Race

Sao Paulo GP - Sunday, in photos

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