The Mercedes team principal: “Antonelli will only become a champion by making mistakes. Next year, I would like to see a title fight between us and the Rossa.”

Pressure is his comfort zone. That’s where Toto Wolff lives. In a world where challenges never end, being the Mercedes team principal is always the perfect stage for those seeking difficulties to overcome. And after 15 World Championships in F1, the competition is still the same as on day one. In everything he does.

Max Verstappen has announced that he will stay at Red Bull. Does this mean that we will soon hear about George Russell’s renewal?

“Yes. I’ve always said that I’m happy with my team, with Russell and Kimi Antonelli, but suddenly Max’s future became uncertain, so we talked to him as well. But I’ve always been very clear with George: 90% he would stay with us, but I needed to talk to Verstappen as well. Now the situation is clear and everything can return to normal.”

Russell is having a great season. Do you think he has taken on a leadership role without Hamilton?

“You could already see how much he had matured last year, but of course he was always in the shadow of a champion like Hamilton. When Lewis left, he took on a leadership role very naturally, showing performances that go beyond the car’s capabilities.”

On the other side of the pit is your rookie, Kimi Antonelli. How would you rate his season so far?

“Kimi is a huge talent: he’s fast, he’s smart, but he’s very young. I said it right from the start: he’s going to make mistakes, we know that, and we wouldn’t have signed him if we weren’t aware of that. Unfortunately, we have an inconsistent car, which makes it more difficult for him to adapt. But going through these difficulties is also part of the process of becoming a champion.”

How do you protect a young person from the risks of this environment?

“I think it’s a learning experience for all of us. We’ve never had such a young guy on the team, and in general, F1 has never had an 18-year-old in a top team. We’re all trying to work together, including with his family, to create an environment that will allow Kimi to give his best on the track.”

Antonelli said he had Hamilton’s support. Were you surprised to learn of this closeness between the two?

“No, I think champions recognize other champions. And then Lewis remains very important to us, he has been a pillar of our team and will always be part of the Mercedes family, even though he now drives for Ferrari. My friendship with Lewis remains unchanged. We talk often, and I think he understands the challenges Kimi is facing.”

Speaking of Hamilton, in Budapest he said he was “useless” for Ferrari. How would you comment on these difficulties?

“Ferrari is the team with the greatest heritage in the world, and for Lewis, driving for them is a great honor but also a challenge. He puts his heart into everything he does and is very sincere: when he goes through difficult times, he takes responsibility for it. It’s a characteristic of great people: if they know they haven’t performed well, they don’t blame the team, they look within themselves. Once this moment has passed, he will come back with the same motivation as always.“

What do you think of the renewal of team principal Fred Vasseur?

”Any other choice would have been really stupid. I’ve known Fred since we were in our early twenties, and I know how much he’s worth as a motorsport man. I know his entrepreneurial vision and his strength. Having someone like that on your team is a stroke of luck, and you have to remember how long it takes in F1 to create a successful project.”

How challenging is it for you to find the right motivation to keep driving the team forward?

“I look in the mirror and ask myself: am I contributing to the team’s success? If I weren’t, I’d be the first to choose someone to replace me. I could become CEO or president and sit on a couch asking for feedback on performance. It would be easier, but I love challenges. I had a difficult childhood and adolescence, and pressure is my comfort zone. If there’s no pressure, I get bored. I am motivated by challenges and victories: the rest comes later for me.“

Next year there will be a major change in the regulations. What are your thoughts on this?

”From a Mercedes point of view, I am very happy that this era of ground-effect cars is coming to an end. The new regulations are challenging because they will require decisions on where to use the available energy during the lap. It will be discussed and criticized, like every new regulation in F1, but with time it will be accepted.“

Everyone is talking about the Mercedes power unit as the favorite for 2026. But how much do you know about the level of your rivals?

”That’s just gossip, we don’t know anything. I expect Ferrari to be very competitive and Honda has shown how strong they are, I expect a lot from them with Aston Martin. Then there’s Red Bull with their new engines, there’s Audi… Everyone wants to be ready and competitive, and we’ll see who has worked best.”

If you could choose who to fight against next year, who would you want against you?

“The answer is simple: Ferrari. Seeing Ferrari against Mercedes would be great. A classic. And then Lewis and Charles against Kimi and George, an incredible challenge. An Italian driver against an Italian car: can you imagine? I have no doubt that this duel will happen, next year or in the future. We’ll experience it, and it will be fantastic.”