Mercedes Urged to Sign Antonelli Amidst Struggles
Teenage Prospect Faces Doubts Following Dismal Belgian Grand Prix Qualifying
Pressure mounts on Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff to secure teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli with a new contract. The 18-year-old’s rookie season has been marred by a string of poor results, culminating in a difficult outing at the Belgian Grand Prix.
A Weekend of Misfortune at Spa
Since the Formula 1 season shifted to its European leg, Antonelli has experienced significant setbacks. He has retired from four of the last five races and finished 18th in the remaining event. His struggles continued at Spa-Francorchamps, where he qualified last for the sprint race and 18th for the main Grand Prix. A power unit change means he will start from the pit lane, potentially in challenging wet conditions.
Following qualifying, Antonelli appeared visibly emotional, with red eyes noticeable in post-session interviews. This display underscored the immense pressure he is facing in his debut season.
Nico Rosberg’s Plea for Support
Former F1 champion Nico Rosberg expressed deep sympathy for Antonelli, relating to the immense pressure the young driver is under. Observing Antonelli‘s distress, Rosberg highlighted the stark contrast between his teammate George Russell, who qualified sixth, and Antonelli‘s grid position.
“It really hurts me to see him in an interview like that, because I can super relate as to how tough and horrible the moment is for him. George [Russell] is P6, and he’s all the way down, almost at the end of the grid. It’s so, so tough. Everybody’s criticising you and looking at you a little bit negatively.”
—Nico Rosberg, Former F1 Champion
“Internally, in the team, it’s a very, very difficult dynamic, and he doesn’t have a contract for next year either, so his whole dream at some point is also at play here. It’s a horrible, difficult moment.”
—Nico Rosberg, Former F1 Champion
Rosberg Advocates for Immediate Contract Signing
When asked for his advice to Wolff, Rosberg strongly recommended signing Antonelli to a new contract immediately. He believes this action would provide a crucial confidence boost to the driver he described as a “generational talent.”
“What I may do in Toto’s case, I would sign that contract with him. Anyways, it’s not much money, and that would give him such a boost of confidence. If, by any chance, it goes bad towards the end of the year, you can still pay him out and make a change, as we’ve always seen in F1. But just signing that contract would give him this one step-change of comfort, relaxation, time. It could be something interesting.”
—Nico Rosberg, Former F1 Champion
Rosberg emphasized the minimal financial risk involved for Mercedes, suggesting the contract could be signed this weekend. He noted that even if performance falters later, the team could still exit the agreement.
“Yeah, go for it. Sign the paper because it’s not much money. Worst case, if everything goes wrong, Toto can still get out of the contract.”
—Nico Rosberg, Former F1 Champion
This situation highlights the challenges faced by young drivers in Formula 1. For instance, in 2023, rookies like Oscar Piastri also experienced a challenging start, though his team, McLaren, provided significant development support which ultimately yielded strong results. The pressure on Antonelli to deliver immediately is immense, with his future at Mercedes seemingly hanging in the balance.
