Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff believes Ferrari’s traditionally loyal supporters could increasingly embrace Andrea Kimi Antonelli in 2027, with the Italian driver closing in on the Formula 1 World Championship. Following another commanding victory at the United States Grand Prix, Wolff suggested that Mercedes and Antonelli merchandise could become a more familiar sight among the Ferrari tifosi, creating an unusual dilemma for Italian fans who have spent years supporting the Maranello team.
Antonelli’s remarkable 2026 campaign has brought Italy to the brink of a historic achievement. The Mercedes driver leads teammate George Russell by 123 points with only 125 still available, meaning a top-nine finish at the Mexican Grand Prix would be sufficient to secure the championship. He is now approaching the possibility of becoming Italy’s first Formula 1 world champion since Alberto Ascari claimed his second title in 1953.
Toto Wolff expects more Kimi Antonelli support among Ferrari fans
For generations of Italian Formula 1 supporters, Ferrari has represented a powerful national connection to the sport. The sea of red at circuits such as Monza has traditionally reflected that loyalty, making Antonelli’s emergence as a leading championship contender with Mercedes particularly significant.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Toto Wolff reflected on the unusual reaction among Ferrari supporters when Andrea Kimi Antonelli won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in September. The Mercedes driver had started 19th before producing a remarkable recovery to win on home soil.
Wolff recalled seeing Italian fans dressed in Ferrari red who appeared somewhat confused by the sight of a compatriot standing on the podium in Mercedes colours. The combination of national pride and established team loyalty created an unfamiliar situation for the tifosi.
The Mercedes team principal believes that tension could become more visible next season. In his view, more supporters are likely to wear merchandise associated with Antonelli and Mercedes, potentially changing the customary appearance of the Italian crowds.
That prediction reflects the remarkable position the young driver has established in Formula 1. Italian supporters have long awaited another national world champion, and Antonelli is now extraordinarily close to delivering that achievement.
How Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Austin victory strengthened his title bid
The United States Grand Prix provided another demonstration of Antonelli’s exceptional form. The Mercedes driver secured his ninth victory of the 2026 season, finishing more than 13 seconds ahead of his closest challenger and significantly strengthening his championship position.
His lead over George Russell has now reached 123 points, placing the title within immediate reach. With only 125 points remaining available, the championship could be decided at the upcoming Mexican Grand Prix.
Antonelli’s nine wins also leave him just four victories short of Alberto Ascari’s Italian Formula 1 record. His achievements have restored Italy to the forefront of the drivers’ championship battle after a lengthy period without an Italian race winner.
For Wolff, Austin was impressive enough to merit consideration as the Mercedes driver’s strongest performance of the season. However, the team principal also acknowledged the significance of the earlier victory at Monza.
He explained that he did not always remember previous races clearly when immediately assessing a fresh result. On reflection, he recognised that Monza had also been an exceptional performance, particularly because of the atmosphere created by the home crowd and the unusual reaction of Ferrari supporters.
Wolff ultimately considered both victories outstanding, while remaining comfortable with describing the Austin performance as Antonelli’s best.
Ferrari’s Italian identity faces an unusual Formula 1 dilemma
The prospect of an Italian world champion driving for Mercedes introduces an interesting question for Ferrari’s supporters. Their attachment to the Scuderia remains deeply established, yet Antonelli’s success provides a different source of national pride.
The Mercedes driver strengthened that connection with his victory at Monza, where his recovery from 19th on the grid became one of the defining performances of his season. Winning in front of Italian spectators gave his championship campaign an additional emotional dimension.
Wolff’s prediction does not necessarily imply that Ferrari supporters will abandon their team. Rather, it suggests that an Italian driver competing for the championship with another constructor could attract visible support from fans who would ordinarily identify most strongly with Maranello.
The possibility is especially striking because Ferrari has its own history of successful Italian drivers, including Alberto Ascari and the team’s Formula 1 world champions. Antonelli is now approaching a milestone that no Italian driver has achieved since Ascari’s second title.
Ferrari’s 2026 progress has not ended its championship drought
The growing attention surrounding Andrea Kimi Antonelli comes during a season in which Ferrari has made meaningful progress without mounting a sustained challenge for either world title.
After failing to win a Grand Prix in 2025, the Maranello team has returned to the top step of the podium in 2026. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have each secured a victory, demonstrating that the SF-26 possesses significant competitive potential.
However, the campaign has also been marked by frustration over opportunities that were not fully exploited. Ferrari appeared capable of challenging in both championships at certain stages, but shortcomings in execution prevented the team from applying sustained pressure to Mercedes.
The performances of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have produced important results, yet the overall feeling remains that the SF-26 has not consistently delivered everything its potential suggested was possible.
Under team principal Fred Vasseur, Ferrari has established a strong hold on second place in the Constructors’ Championship. That position represents an improvement, but the Scuderia is still facing the prospect of extending its championship drought to 19 years.
The contrast with Antonelli’s situation is particularly notable. When Kimi Räikkönen claimed Ferrari’s last Drivers’ Championship in 2007, the young Italian was only one year old. He is now approaching a title of his own with one of Ferrari’s principal rivals.
Could Italy’s next world champion change the atmosphere at Monza?
Ferrari’s supporters are accustomed to celebrating the team’s achievements, but Antonelli’s emergence has created a rare opportunity for Italy to celebrate an individual championship success outside Maranello.
If the Mercedes driver completes his title challenge, Wolff expects that achievement to influence the visible support he receives in 2027. More Antonelli and Mercedes caps among the tifosi would reflect the growing recognition of an Italian driver at the pinnacle of Formula 1.
Ferrari, meanwhile, must continue pursuing its own championship ambitions after another season in which progress has fallen short of the ultimate objective. The team remains firmly established near the front, but Mercedes and its young Italian star have set the competitive benchmark.
With the championship potentially decided in Mexico, Antonelli is approaching a historic moment for Italian motorsport. For Ferrari’s supporters, the prospect of celebrating a national champion in Mercedes colours creates an unusual combination of pride, rivalry and long-standing loyalty to the Prancing Horse.
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