Mercedes’ Team Principal, Toto Wolff has hailed Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s maiden F1 title as an “extraordinary” achievement.
Antonelli finished third at the Mexico City Grand Prix to wrap up his first title in the category which saw him become the youngest-ever F1 champion at 20 years and 68 days, surpassing the previous record of 23 years and 134 days set by Sebastian Vettel in 2010.
Speaking to mercedesamgf1.com post race, Wolff has described Antonelli’s title success in just his second season in F1 as beyond an exceptional achievement given his young age and difficult rookie season in 2025.
“What Kimi has achieved today is extraordinary. To become Formula 1 World Champion at 20 years old, and to do it in only his second season, is a remarkable achievement. But what makes me most proud is not the record or the statistics, it is the journey he has been on to get here.
“There were difficult moments last year. There were people who questioned whether he was ready for Formula One and whether he deserved to be in a Mercedes. We always believed in his talent and knew those difficult experiences would make him stronger.
“To see the way he has responded this season, the confidence he has built and the level at which he is now performing is incredibly satisfying.
“We saw that maturity again today. He managed the first stint extremely well, stayed patient when the red flag took away the advantage he had created, and then made the move when he needed to after the restart. To deliver that performance with a World Championship on the line says a lot about him.”
Wolff also paid tribute to the team based across Brackley and Brixworth as he iterated that every title isn’t won by a single driver alone.
“This is a tremendous moment for everyone at Brackley and Brixworth, and all those associated with the team. Championships are never won by one individual. There are so many people who have contributed, both here at the track and back at the factories, and they should all feel incredibly proud tonight.
“Thank you to Mercedes-AMG for their continued support, our Title and Technical Partner PETRONAS and so many more.
“We all believed in Kimi from a very young age and today he is a Formula One World Champion. That is a very special moment for all of us.”
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