Why Toto Wolff fears Italian hype more than Ferrari for Kimi Antonelli. Toto Wolff explains why rising expectations in Italy could be a bigger threat than Ferrari for Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

The first victory of Andrea Kimi Antonelli in Shanghai has ignited excitement across Italy, a country usually focused on Ferrari, bringing an Italian driver back to the top step of the podium after twenty years. It is a historic result that has inevitably triggered a strong wave of media attention, but one that Toto Wolff prefers to manage with caution.

The Mercedes Team Principal, while expressing great admiration for the young talent, immediately wanted to shift the focus to a fundamental aspect: his age and the fact that his development process is still ongoing. Speaking to journalists in Shanghai, Wolff made his position clear, urging people not to place excessive expectations on Antonelli.

“The key for a young driver is to combine speed with avoiding mistakes, and that is something that requires a certain level of calibration. There will be other moments this year when he will make mistakes, because he is still a very young guy,” explained the Mercedes Team Principal.

Italy’s expectations worry Wolff more than Ferrari

This idea was reinforced even more strongly when looking at the growing enthusiasm in Italy: “You can see that a huge wave of excitement is building, especially in Italy. I can already imagine the headlines: ‘World champion’, ‘Great Kimi’. This is not good, because mistakes will come. It is far too early even to think about the championship”.

Wolff then used a very clear image to describe the volatility of the Formula 1 world, especially from a media perspective. “The sport we are in is manic-depressive. Today everything is going great, but in two weeks he might put it in the wall and people will turn against him. We need to stay grounded,” he underlined, also recalling the ups and downs experienced by the young driver last season.

According to the Mercedes boss, this emotional rollercoaster represents the biggest risk for a talent who is still developing. Despite his cautious approach, Wolff also highlighted very positive signs in Antonelli’s growth, especially from a mental standpoint.

“When he went off track in Australia, he did not carry the emotional burden with him. He acknowledged the mistake and then put it aside. That is a trait I have seen in great athletes,” he explained. The ability to analyse mistakes, work with data, and quickly move on is one of the qualities that stands out the most within the team.

George Russell still ahead, but Kimi Antonelli is progressing

Another distinctive trait of Kimi Antonelli is his ability to build strong connections within the team. Toto Wolff describes him as a driver capable of bringing people together. “He is very affectionate, warm, he knows how to take people along on his journey. The mechanics and everyone in the team love him,” he said.

However, this openness can also represent a potential risk: “We need to protect him, because he struggles to say no. There will be a lot of interest around him and many people will come trying to influence his career”.

Finally, Wolff wanted to keep the internal comparison with George Russell on a realistic level. “For now, George is still slightly ahead. We have not seen a real head-to-head yet and we need to keep that in mind,” he concluded, while also emphasizing the mutual respect between the two drivers.