Kimi Antonelli refuses to rule out Ferrari future as Toto Wolff fires warning

Kimi Antonelli has refused to rule out one day racing for Italy’s Formula 1 team, Ferrari, but insists that for now he just wants to win titles with Mercedes.

His team principal Toto Wolff says Ferrari should’ve done its due diligence years ago, rather than casting an eye on Mercedes’ young Italian driver now he’s reached F1.

Kimi Antonelli discusses a potential Ferrari move as Toto Wolff responds

Antonelli took a step closer to a maiden Formula 1 world title when he won the Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring, biding his time behind Charles Leclerc as he waited for the Ferrari driver to make his mandatory pit stop on a track where overtakes were few and far between.

It was the Italian’s eighth Grand Prix win of the season, although none were as special to the driver as his victory at Monza a week prior.

Antonelli became the first Italian in 66 years to win the Italian Grand Prix, leading home a Mercedes 1-2 after a thrilling back-and-forth battle with his teammate George Russell.

But while the Ferrari flags were still waved proudly by the Tifosi, the fans celebrated with Antonelli as Italy embraced its new hero.

“The charge of the fans during the GP was incredible,” the Mercedes driver told automoto.it. “It gave me the push to try to do even better.

“The podium in Monza is the most beautiful of the year, and hearing everyone sing the anthem in unison, singing ‘It will be because I love you’ and shouting my name gave me goosebumps.”

It begs the question: will Antonelli switch to Ferrari in the future?

While the pressure of being an Italian driver racing for the Scuderia would be intense, Antonelli isn’t ruling it out.

“Now I’m fine where I am. I’m very happy to be in Mercedes, also because I feel I owe them a debt for all the opportunities they have given me.

“They were the ones who believed in me when I was only 12 years old. They have accompanied me on this path of growth.

“I hope to achieve many successes with them in the future. Then we will see.

“I don’t rule anything out, but today the goal is to win as much as possible with Mercedes.”

One person who is not keen on the idea is Antonelli’s team boss, Wolff.

Kimi Antonelli v George Russell: Mercedes F1 2026 scores

F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between teammates

F1 2026: Head-to-head race statistics between teammates

Wolff brought the then-12-year-old into Mercedes’ junior programme in 2019, and backed Antonelli for F1 success when he put him straight into the Mercedes F1 team when he made his debut in 2025.

While that was a mixed season, this year Antonelli is repaying Mercedes’ belief in him prompting Wolff to say that, if Ferrari wants his driver, it should’ve rolled the dice years ago.

“We’re aware,” Wolff told Belgian website Rtbf of Ferrari’s interest in the championship leader.

“But Kimi has been a Mercedes driver since he was 11.

“Ferrari should have done the job six or seven years ago, instead of realising now that they have a good Italian driver.

“Of course, they’ll do everything to get an Italian driver.”

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