F1 has an 'AI agent' driver and he's about to become the youngest world champion ever

Toto Wolff has compared 20-year-old championship leader Kimi Antonelli to an AI agent as he continues to grow as a driver.

Sunday saw Antonelli take the best win of his young career at the Italian Grand Prix, racing up from 19th on the grid to hunt down his team-mate George Russell in the dying laps to take a famous victory at his home race.

The Italian youngster has only started 37 races at the top level of the sport, but has adapted faster than expected after an up-and-down rookie season and has outdriven his more experienced team-mate George Russell to sit 66 points clear at the top of the drivers' standings.

His team principal Wolff attributed some of his rapid improvement to his age, with 'the ability cognitively, intellectually to constantly become better', but admitted he's still shocked by just how much the 20-year-old soaks up.

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Wolff: Nobody saw Antonelli season coming

"He came out after the winter, out of the blocks in a way that no one saw coming,” Wolff said after the race.

“The ability, how he processed last year. He's been at all the races.

"He's seen the pressure of the media, the attention that he gets. It's in a way that the system has been processed and saved. And that's why [he's had] the results that we've seen afterwards.

“But it is still surprising and amazing to see how quickly he develops. For me, it's like an AI agent that continuously self-improves and learns. That's the speed. Also his age is for sure beneficial. The ability cognitively, intellectually to constantly become better.”

Mercedes boss reveals 'terrible' time in Antonelli rookie season

Wolff also spoke about Antonelli's trickier moments in his rookie season, saying: “Last year was according to plan. I've said there are going to be moments of brilliance, difficult moments.

“I think he started the season at a time when he found himself like a deer in the headlights. In his zone, in the car, extraordinary performances already, but not continuous.

“Then he had this negative spell where he made over nine races without scoring points [Note: Antonelli's longest run of grands prix without a points finish was three]. I remember Spa was terrible for him and he was feeling down. Monza was the point where I for the first time said to him, 'listen, you've got to wake up here'. But never doubting. That's why we gave him the opportunity.”

Now Antonelli is hot favourite to claim the 2026 title, and become the sport's youngest ever world champion by some distance. The current list looks like this:

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