The head of the Mercedes team, Toto Wolff, expressed confidence that the Italian driver Kimi Antonelli possesses exceptional talent and is capable of remaining at the top of Formula 1 for twenty years.
Wolff shared his impressions after the 20-year-old Italian driver secured his eighth victory this year at the Spanish Grand Prix on the Madridring circuit. He was impressed by the combination of Antonelli's early talent and unexpected maturity.
"I think he's cool," Wolff stated. "Sometimes he's too cool for me when he hits the wall, five laps before the finish, and reports on the radio: 'check the car, I think I hit the wall.'" He added that this might help the driver maintain concentration.
A week ago, Wolff, who managed six championship seasons for Lewis Hamilton and one season for Nico Rosberg in 2016, predicted that Antonelli could win the Italian Grand Prix starting from 19th place.
The young Italian indeed navigated through the field of competitors to achieve one of the most outstanding victories in Formula 1 history. Following a recent, more comfortable win in Madrid, Wolff forecasted that Antonelli would remain active in the sport for a long time.
"He gets in the car and just drives," he noted. "I feel that his youth helps him a lot. He is 20 years old. He could probably stay in the sport for 20 years." Wolff concluded that Antonelli exceeds all expectations, simply follows the flow, and that there is a genetic factor: "either you are born cool like a cucumber, or you are not."
Furthermore, Wolff reported that the Mercedes team has made significant progress and has no intention of slowing down, despite leading the Constructors' Championship with a 145-point advantage over Ferrari, while Antonelli leads his teammate Russell by 81 points.
"As a team, we have made good strides forward," he said. "We do not want to ease up, become complacent, or celebrate too early. This is motorsport. It is a mechanical sport. Breakdowns can happen, and we don't look at the points."
