Szafnauer: Wolff deserves credit for Antonelli gamble

Former Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer says Toto Wolff deserves credit for taking a gamble on Kimi Antonelli. The gamble has paid off: Antonelli now leads the 2026 championship.

Why it matters:

When Lewis Hamilton left for Ferrari in 2025, Mercedes faced a choice between experience and youth. Wolff's call to promote Antonelli from Formula 2 drew criticism from inside and outside the paddock. Two seasons later, the gamble is vindicated: Antonelli leads Russell by 81 points and has won eight grands prix.

The details:

• Szafnauer, speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast, said: "You've got to give Toto credit for taking the risk on Kimi. And also Gwen [Lagrue]. He discovered him."
• After the 20-year-old's maiden win in Shanghai, Wolff hit back at critics over team radio: "He's too young. We shouldn't put him in a Mercedes. Put him in a smaller team. He needs the experience. Look at the mistakes he makes. Here we go, Kimi. Victory."
• Wolff called it a "little revanche", but warned: "This sport that we live in is manic depressive. Today, it's great. In two weeks, we are in Japan, and he puts it in the wall, and people say he's too young. So I think we need to just keep the feet on the ground."

What's next:

Antonelli's 81-point cushion gives Mercedes breathing room with the season entering its closing stages. Yet Wolff remains cautious, knowing one mistake in Japan could reignite the old doubts. A strong weekend there would further silence the skeptics.