JV’s Toto Wolff ‘next Max Verstappen’ theory with Kimi Antonelli call-up ‘obviously too early’

Jacques Villeneuve claims Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff decided long ago that Kimi Antonelli was the “next Max Verstappen” and would be in F1, ready or not, as soon as possible.

Teenage hot prospect Antonelli is a long-serving member of the Mercedes Junior Team and hoovered up titles at every turn in the junior series, including the Italian Formula 4 and Formula Regional European Championship crowns. He skipped Formula 3 to move straight to Formula 2 for 2024, where he has won twice in his rookie season.

Jacques Villeneuve’s Toto Wolff Kimi Antonelli F1 fast-track theory

Antonelli has also taken part in various Mercedes private tests in previous F1 cars, this and his F2 performances enough to land him an F1 2025 seat with Mercedes as the replacement for the Ferrari-bound seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.

That was announced less than 24 hours after the Italian crashed the Mercedes W15 as he made his F1 debut in a practice outing at the Italian Grand Prix.

However, 1997 World Champion Villeneuve believes that Antonelli was getting that seat regardless.

“It doesn’t matter what should have happened, Toto decided when he [Antonelli] was 11 or 12 that he had the next Max Verstappen. He will put him in F1 as quickly as humanly possible, which is when he’s 18, ready or not,” said Sky F1 guest pundit Villeneuve.

“And Toto will not want to see that he is not ready. It’s obviously too early. The way he put it in the wall [at Monza] in his second lap by overdriving right away.

“Toto’s comments that it proved how quick he was because he drove faster than the car could, no, that means he overdrove.

“I don’t know. It depends how much testing he gets now. But obviously, running in F4 is meaningless. You need the experience. You need to race with big cars and he didn’t really get that.”

Put to him that Antonelli has been testing past Mercedes F1 cars as part of his preparations, Villeneuve replied: “It’s testing. It’s not the same mindset.

“And you have nothing to compare. You could be within a second of a time that was done on that track, but the test tyres are different, they’re not the same from Pirelli, the track is different. You just can’t compare. And there’s no pressure, no stress.”

A closer look at how the F1 2025 grid is shaping up

👉 F1 2025 driver line-up: Who is already confirmed for the 2025 grid?

👉 F1 driver contracts: What is the contract status of every driver on the 2024 grid?

Like 18-year-old Antonelli, Verstappen was given his big break in F1 as a teenager by Red Bull, debuting at 17, that also seen as a major risk at the time, but one which Red Bull were rewarded for taking as Verstappen chases his fourth successive World Championship in F1 2024.

However, Verstappen did not go straight into Red Bull, having started his F1 career with a season-and-a-bit at junior team Toro Rosso. So, Villeneuve was asked whether Antonelli needed to start his F1 journey with a team like Williams, where his F1 2025 team-mate George Russell spent his first three seasons before getting his Mercedes call-up.

“Yeah, but Williams would probably not have taken him,” Villeneuve replied. “Williams is not in a mindset to prepare drivers for other teams now.”

Williams has its driver line-up set for F1 2025 and beyond with Carlos Sainz – who Hamilton replaces at Ferrari – making the move to partner Alex Albon.

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