Wolff explains how Antonelli’s F1 title differs from Lewis Hamilton era
Kimi Antonelli has now joined Lewis Hamilton as a title winner with Mercedes
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has explained how his latest championship win in Formula 1 with Kimi Antonelli differs from the team’s previous success with Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli was crowned the sport’s youngest champion last weekend as third place in Mexico was enough to give him an unassailable points lead with four races remaining.
Wolff reflects on Mercedes’ eras of success with Lewis Hamilton
The Italian has followed in the footsteps of Juan Manuel Fangio, Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, becoming the fourth driver to land the ultimate prize in Mercedes machinery.
Wolff has now overseen 16 championship victories since taking over at the helm of the Brackley-based squad in 2013, with this season’s Constructors’ crown set to follow.
That remarkable haul includes an unprecedented eight successive Constructors’ titles between 2014 and 2021, during which time Hamilton prevailed six times to equal Michael Schumacher as the series’ most decorated driver.
But with Hamilton already having had a title to his name with McLaren when he made the switch to Mercedes, Wolff was asked how Antonelli’s triumph compares, given that he progressed through the ranks with the German marque to reach the pinnacle.
Wolff, who made the call to hand Antonelli his F1 debut in 2025 when Hamilton told him that he would be leaving for pastures new with Ferrari, admitted: “It’s different.
“The championships with Lewis were absolutely incredible and rewarding, and I felt that we all were part of Lewis’ history of the greatest champion, and that we would look back many years to come and say we’ve been world champions with Lewis Hamilton,” he continued. “And this is something I’m very much still thinking about.
“He is one that stayed relevant and is very much culturally relevant beyond Formula 1. So that was very, very special championships that I would have for my whole life with me.
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“And this one is different. I said before, and, for me, he’s still a kid. That hasn’t even changed visually a lot. And it’s so refreshing.
“I tried to get hold of him a few weeks ago and said, ‘Where’s Kimi? Kimi for his birthday? He’s in the water park.’ Great!
“And as long as we can all help to preserve it, he’s intertwined with Mercedes, and that’s also great to see.”
Meanwhile, Hamilton, who was present on the podium alongside Antonelli at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, expressed that being there to celebrate his predecessor’s record-breaking achievement with him was a moment that he cherished.
“Let me start with a huge congratulations to the new champion, Kimi Antonelli,” he wrote on Instagram.
“To have seen your journey so closely and to be there celebrating with you was a highlight of my year. So well deserved and a record that will stand for a long time.
“It was great to see your team at Mercedes celebrating with you. Enjoy this moment, keep your family close, keep your passion and your energy.”
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