Toto Wolff calls Kimi Antonelli’s Austin win his “best race” yet, citing pace and mindset

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said he rates Kimi Antonelli’s United States Grand Prix victory as the “best race” the 2026 rookie has delivered so far, despite the World Championship still not being decided with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell remaining in contention. Wolff’s assessment was delivered after the Austin win, following an event where Antonelli had secured pole position and then produced a commanding Sunday performance.

Wolff pointed to the challenge of tyre management as a key element of why Austin stood out. “Getting off the start with the inferior tyre, and then controlling it at all times. The race of a champion – who isn't the champion yet – but exceptional,” Wolff said, framing Antonelli’s ability to manage the early disadvantage as decisive in maintaining control through the race.

He also connected the result to the apparent fit between Antonelli’s driving style and Mercedes’ W17. Wolff said Antonelli may have “outperformed the car,” arguing that the youngster’s approach to driving “just glues with the car,” and referenced qualifying as evidence of that synergy. According to Wolff, on Antonelli’s final lap in qualifying he “could have been another tenth and a half or two up.”

Wolff was asked whether Austin ranked above Antonelli’s charge from the back to victory at Monza. He stuck with his Austin view, but added a light comment that he does not always recall details of earlier races clearly. “I've said that this is probably the best race I've seen, but my problem is that I don't remember past races!” Wolff said, before noting that Monza’s strong home atmosphere and podium context would also make it memorable.

Beyond racecraft, Wolff described Antonelli’s mindset as a factor in the consistency that has defined his 2026 surge. He suggested the rookie benefited from having all cars on a new regulatory foundation in 2026, arguing that while other drivers had experienced similar changes for different periods, Antonelli was adapting to a fresh environment “for everyone this year.”

Wolff said Antonelli has maintained a relaxed attitude to the championship situation, including moments before race preparation. He recounted that Antonelli had visited his office ahead of getting ready, sat on the sofa, and told him: “I'm going to enjoy this one. And isn't it funny? I'm not thinking at all about the championship.” Wolff said he responded by urging him to stick to that approach, stressing the importance of perspective and confidence.

While careful not to treat the title as secured, Wolff acknowledged the difficulty of understanding the scale of the step Antonelli has taken since last season. He said he has tried for decades to understand drivers’ decision-making and instincts, but still “doesn’t know what has happened over the winter,” adding that credit should also be given to Antonelli’s engineers and broader support system, including family.

Wolff also addressed his own role in Antonelli’s career, saying he was not the person responsible for the development. He credited teamwork around Antonelli, particularly the junior team led by Gwen Lagrue, which Wolff said discovered Antonelli at age 11 and developed him over many years. Wolff tied the achievement to long-term effort, integration, and engineering work, including a reference to significant investment in developing Antonelli’s path into Formula 1.

Finally, Wolff emphasized that the next steps still matter: he reiterated that Antonelli “still needs to finish the race in Mexico,” linking the championship climax to what happens next. Wolff’s comment suggested the mood could swing between celebration and a more delayed relief, depending on outcomes at the upcoming event following Mexico.

The key consequence of Wolff’s remarks is that Mercedes’ leadership is reinforcing the narrative that Antonelli’s win in Austin combined strategic tyre control, qualifying form, and a calm psychological approach under pressure—while keeping expectations realistic until the remaining rounds conclude.