Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed the unusual advice he gave Andrea Kimi Antonelli before the race in which the Italian secured the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship. The message was inspired by a conversation with Lapo Elkann about his grandfather, Gianni Agnelli, and reflected the Austrian manager’s ambition to help the young driver remain at the top of Formula 1 for many years.
Kimi Antonelli breaks down in tears after winning 2026 F1 title
The 2026 Formula 1 season has been marked by a remarkable run of success for Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who became world champion in only his second year in the sport.
The Italian champion explained that he lost 1.8 seconds on the final lap because he had already started crying well before crossing the finish line. The tears were a release of all the tension accumulated during the most important weekend of his sporting career.
Toto Wolff has already forgiven his protégé for that loss of time. After all, the young Italian has delivered the first Drivers’ World Championship won by a graduate of the Mercedes junior academy, rewarding the faith the team principal placed in his development.
The achievement also represents the culmination of a remarkable rise through the Mercedes ranks, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s path to the Formula 1 title demonstrating the importance of the team’s long-term investment in young talent.
Toto Wolff reveals Lapo Elkann advice given to Kimi Antonelli
Speaking to journalists, Mercedes co-owner and team principal Toto Wolff revealed a particularly unusual behind-the-scenes detail about his conversation with Andrea Kimi Antonelli before the race.
“Do you know what I told him before the race? Lapo Elkann once told me, speaking about his grandfather Gianni Agnelli, that he had managed to remain an important and relevant figure throughout his life. I think that’s a wonderful thing. That’s what I told Kimi: together, we have to make sure you remain a leading figure throughout your life. You have 25 years of your career ahead of you. You mustn’t be a flash in the pan, but stay at the top forever.”
The message illustrates the long-term ambitions Toto Wolff has for his young champion. Rather than simply celebrating an extraordinary first World Championship, the Mercedes team principal wants Andrea Kimi Antonelli to build a career defined by lasting success.
It is also a striking connection between Mercedes and one of the most recognisable families associated with Ferrari. Lapo Elkann unexpectedly became a source of inspiration for Toto Wolff, whose message to his driver drew on Gianni Agnelli’s ability to remain influential throughout his lifetime.
The anecdote adds another dimension to the relationship between the Mercedes boss and the Italian driver, whose development has been closely guided by the Austrian manager. That relationship has already been highlighted by Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s comments about Toto Wolff’s support and guidance throughout his Formula 1 career.
Lapo Elkann congratulates Kimi Antonelli on historic F1 achievement
Lapo Elkann also congratulated the newly crowned Formula 1 world champion, praising not only his sporting achievement but also the personal qualities he and his family have demonstrated.
“I want to congratulate Kimi Antonelli. He has written a chapter in the history of Italian and world motorsport and is the pride of a young, courageous Italy full of talent. An example of how, with passion, determination and heart, dreams can become reality. Antonelli has shown, together with his family, sensitivity, humility and kindness of spirit. Beyond his sporting talent, these are the human qualities that make him a champion. Congratulations also to Toto Wolff for believing in Kimi from the very beginning.”
The congratulations carry particular significance given Lapo Elkann’s connection to the Agnelli family and Ferrari. Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s achievement has created a rare moment of Italian celebration centred on a Mercedes driver, a prospect that Toto Wolff had previously suggested could even win over some of Ferrari’s passionate supporters.
For Toto Wolff, however, the message delivered before the race was about something greater than one championship. Inspired by Gianni Agnelli’s lasting influence, he wants Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s first Formula 1 title to mark the beginning of a long career at the very highest level.
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