Rosberg Questions Wolff‘s Public Critique of Antonelli Amidst Struggling F1 Debut
Monza, Italy – former Formula 1 champion Nico Rosberg has publicly questioned Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff’s recent unusually critical comments regarding young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s performance, suggesting a calculated motive behind the shift in tone. Wolff labeled Antonelli’s recent weekend “underwhelming” after the rookie struggled during practice sessions, a public assessment Rosberg believes deviates from the typical supportive approach towards developing talent.
Rosberg,who drove for Mercedes from 2010-2016,indicated Wolff’s comments are rarely without purpose. Speaking on Sky Sports’ F1 Show, Rosberg speculated Wolff may be attempting too influence Antonelli and his family to reassess their current approach. “It’s a surprising one, as at the moment, the only choice you really have is just give Kimi the most time possible, in the most calm way possible, and that means also not criticising him publicly,” Rosberg stated. ”Usually, there’s a reason behind that. toto is very calculated in his comments. Perhaps he’s wanting to put some pressure on kimi and his family to try a different approach, modify their approach, review their approach.”
Antonelli, widely considered a generational talent, has faced a challenging start to his Formula 1 career. Statistics highlighted by Rosberg reveal a significant performance gap compared to teammate George Russell, with Russell leading Antonelli 19-0 in races and 17-2 in qualifying sessions. Despite the data, Wolff maintained his long-term confidence in Antonelli’s potential, stating, “It doesn’t change anything on my support and confidence in his future, as I believe he’s going to be very, very, very good, but today was underwhelming.”
Rosberg acknowledged Antonelli’s inherent skill but expressed surprise at the continued difficulties. ”Kimi is a generational talent. We all know that, but it’s more difficult for him than we all thoght so far.And it’s a bit strange that it’s still so difficult,” he said. He also cautioned that time is a factor, adding, “But the clock starts to tick at some point also, you know?” The comments come ahead of the F1 grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo Nazionale Monza on September 4, 2025.
