Toto Wolff admits regret over Mercedes F1 driver decision

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff has revealed he regrets throwing rookie Kimi Antonelli in at the deep end at last season's Italian Grand Prix.

The teenager was handed the chance to show what he could do in front of his home fans during FP1 on the same weekend he was confirmed as the man to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.

But it quickly turned into a nightmare debut, with Antonelli slamming into the barriers and cutting his afternoon short at the wheel of George Russell's Mercedes.

And speaking to media at the Austrian GP last month, Wolff admitted he made a mistake in putting his driver on the track on a weekend full of high emotion.

"I think when we look at last year, it wasn't our most intelligent call to put him in the car in Monza, give him all the pressure, and then obviously with the incident, that's something that's in the back of your mind," Wolff said.

Antonelli has bounced back to enjoy a positive rookie campaign, with his crowning moment undoubtedly a third-place finish in Canada back in June, and Wolff has been impressed with his progress so far.

The Mercedes boss continued: "I think with the podium now, you can shake that off and say: 'I've proven that I can be fast'.

"And also, throughout the year, we gave him lots of space to explore, to develop, to under-hit, or also push hard when he felt confident in the car.

"And in that respect, I think that is what you can expect from a driver that can be a champion one day."

Wolff facing Mercedes driver dilemma

Regardless of Wolff's support for the Mercedes rookie, he is now faced with the unenviable task of deciding whether to stick or twist with the 18-year-old in 2026.

The contracts of both Antonelli and team-mate Russell will expire at the end of the year, and with Max Verstappen reportedly set to become available, one driver will have to step aside if Wolff makes a move for the four-time champion.

When asked whether Russell had priority status given his long affinity with the team, the Austrian told reporters: "Well, he needs to be top of the list because he's a race winner with us.

"He's a Mercedes junior. He's been with the team for a long time.”

For their part, neither Russell or Antonelli have appeared too troubled by the ongoing speculation, with both simply focused on what they can do in the here and now.

Russell has arguably been F1's surprise package this season, and had at one stage even been tipped by some as an unlikely world championship contender himself following a strong start to the year.

That form has tailed off in recent weeks, meaning he is under considerable pressure to prove he is still deserving of a seat heading into the second half of the campaign.

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