Toto Wolff told he's ignoring huge Mercedes problem that could come back to haunt him
Toto Wolff and Mercedes are on a strong trajectory, but there are concerns about his team's future.
Jacques Villeneuve believes that it is too early for Kimi Antonelli to make the jump into F1. The Italian teenager has completed several private tests and done extensive simulator work but crashed just two laps into his FP1 debut in Monza.
Despite crashing at the Parabolica just two laps into his first-ever race weekend session, Mercedes named Antonelli as one-half of their 2025 driver line-up later that weekend, partnering with George Russell as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement.
The decision from Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has been heavily scrutinized, but the Austrian has total belief in Antonelli’s abilities. However, some members of the paddock are concerned about whether or not the time is right for the Bologna-born teenager to race in F1 full-time, and Villeneuve is among them.
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Discussing Antonelli’s debut FP1 appearance during the Sky Sports F1 broadcast in Baku, he said: “Toto Wolff doesn’t want to see that he is not ready. It’s obviously too early, the way he put it on the wall on his second lap by overdriving right away. It’s testing. It’s not the same mindset. You have nothing to compare. There’s no pressure.”
This wasn’t the first time that Villeneuve has taken aim at Wolff over his unrelenting faith in the 18-year-old. In Canada earlier this summer, he said: “Toto Wolff will not accept any other solution than Antonelli.
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“The door has closed there. This is now Antonelli’s team for the future. He has been preparing for this for years. Toto Wolff’s ego also played a big role in his decision to choose Antonelli.
“He wants to prove to the world that it was right to bet on the young Italian when he was only twelve years old. He wants to show that he already saw the future world champion in him back then.”
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While Antonelli’s position for 2025 is guaranteed, the Italian is not guaranteed to stay at Mercedes long-term. With Max Verstappen potentially on the market for 2026 and beyond, the 18-year-old will be under pressure to hit the ground running in Melbourne next season.
Both Antonelli and Russell will be out of contract at the end of next season and if Verstappen opts for Mercedes ahead of Red Bull or Aston Martin as his destination for the 2026 regulations, one of the duo will be facing the exit door.
