Toto Wolff: “There was no urgent need to put Kimi Antonelli in an F1”
At the age of 17, Mercedes-backed F2 driver Kimi Antonelli can't drive an F1 car until his 18th birthday on August 25. But an FIA rule change has sparked rumors about his potential future with Mercedes in 2025.
The recent amendment to the FIA sporting regulations regarding the minimum age of Formula 1 drivers has raised questions about its impact on young prodigy Kimi Antonelli.
During the press conference on Friday, Toto Wolff was keen to clarify that this modification was not specifically designed to favor Antonelli, nicknamed the « Lex (law) Antonelli » by some.
« This changes nothing,” said the team director of Mercedes. « The FIA simply wanted to avoid a strict age limit, as exceptional young drivers deserve to be promoted earlier.”
For Toto Wolff, the emphasis is on the gradual development of Kimi Antonelli.
« For us, that does not make a big difference. Kimi is doing F2, he is doing TPC tests, he is learning, he is developing, he is making mistakes, all of that together, and that is the current status. So there was no urgent need to put him in a car. »
As for the possibility of granting him an FP1 session before his 18th birthday, Wolff remains cautious.
« We could give her one after her 18th birthday, which falls just after the summer break. »
Frédéric Vasseur joining his Mercedes counterpart in emphasizing the importance of maturity beyond age.
« For me, the question of being 18 is more a question of maturity than age », he declared. « We can have very young and very mature pilots, and others who are 30 and still are not mature », he continued, which inevitably triggered some laughter in the audience of journalists.
Antonelli’s future in F1 will therefore depend on his ability to demonstrate his maturity and progress, beyond strict age.
