The Gamble, And Losing Sponsors...
At the Mexico Grand Prix, Mercedes celebrated the bold decision to place the then 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli in the driver’s seat starting in 2025, as he clinched the world championship in just his second Formula 1 season. This was a bold move not initially supported by everyone in the Mercedes camp, as team principal Toto Wolff now reveals.
"We had two sponsors who left us because of it. They questioned me: 'Kimi Antonelli, who is this kid supposed to be?'" Wolff told Sky Sports. "And there were others who have stayed with us to this day, and they are now reaping the rewards." Even before the start of the 2024 season, superstar Lewis Hamilton had announced his departure from Mercedes for Ferrari.
For months, the media speculated about who would succeed the seven-time world champion. Max Verstappen was particularly seen as a strong contender over the summer. This was partly because Antonelli struggled to meet high expectations in Formula 2 in 2024, securing his first of two wins that season in the 15th of 28 races.
According to Wolff, the media’s speculation was unnecessary, as the situation was straightforward: "When Lewis stood at my door that morning, everything was already clear to me. The moment he confirmed that he was going to Ferrari, I knew Kimi would be in the car."
Wolff recalls telling his press chief and current deputy team principal Bradley Lord and technical director James Allison soon afterwards. "I told them: 'Kimi is in the car.' They just said: 'What are you talking about?' But we had the data. We didn't need any more confirmation. Kimi had already proven himself through his success in Formula 4 and Formula Regional. The rest was crystal clear."
Wolff does not disclose which two sponsors no longer wanted to partner with Mercedes without superstar Hamilton. However, it is known that fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger and sports goods manufacturer Puma left the team at the end of 2024. In their place, Adidas joined as a new global brand, and a deal with Gillette was in the works but ultimately did not materialize, as the razor brand went to Audi instead.
While many doubted whether it was wise to move Antonelli directly from Formula 2 to the Mercedes team, for Wolff it was "never a risk. Sometimes I am asked why I take risks. But I only take calculated risks - ones where the worst possible outcome would not fundamentally change our life in the team I am responsible for."
"The team always stood behind this decision. [Mercedes CEO] Ola [Kallenius] always stood behind this decision. There were no doubts whatsoever. The doubts only came from outside. From people who were partners of the team at the time and no longer are today. From other teams, from other drivers who felt they themselves deserved a chance. And from the media."
"It started with people saying: 'You can't be serious about putting an 18-year-old in the car that Lewis Hamilton previously drove. He had a disappointing Formula 2 season. He should do another year in Formula 2 and first prove that he really is good enough.'"
"Then, once we had put him in the car, people said: 'He shouldn't be in a Mercedes. That's far too much pressure for him. Why didn't you try to reach an agreement with Williams and give him, like George, one, two or three years to develop?' And of course those voices became even louder after he had gone nine races in a row without points."
When Antonelli faced one of the toughest race weekends of his debut season at the drivers' circuit of Spa in the summer of 2025, during which, according to Wolff, there were also "tears," those who said 'I told you so' gained momentum. But for us, for me personally, there was never even the slightest doubt.
"2025 was exactly the season I had expected."
It was clear to me that it would be a project over at least two years, with the second year needing to confirm what we had seen in him. And I think today we are sitting here and have received that confirmation. It is incredible. We really have to pinch ourselves, because it feels to us as if it was only yesterday that he was standing in a garage in junior karting as an 11-year-old.
"And then everything happens so quickly. He wins the junior single-seater series, then experiences a difficult year in Formula 2. And even back then, people from the outside began to doubt him. I am just incredibly proud of the team, that everyone continued to believe in him. And he delivered."
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