Kimi Antonelli Turns Toto Wolff's Criticism Into Motivation Ahead Of Baku Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli plans to use the recent criticism from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff as motivation for the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Antonelli's performance at the Italian Grand Prix was described by Wolff as lacking, with Antonelli qualifying seventh and finishing ninth. This season has been challenging for Antonelli, marked by four retirements in six races, though he did achieve a podium finish in Canada, becoming the third-youngest driver to do so.

Antonelli acknowledged Wolff's comments, stating, "I understand his comment. Me and Toto were always very open with each other and we talk to each other quite openly. " He admitted that while qualifying went well despite an incident in FP2, he struggled during the race, particularly on hard tyres.

Antonelli sees this feedback as a chance to improve his performance in Baku.

Despite some setbacks, Antonelli has shown promise in his debut Formula One season. At 19 years old, he is currently outperforming other rookies, aided by a superior car. With 66 points this season, he ranks eighth in the Drivers' Championship, leading fellow rookie Isack Hadjar by 28 points.

Reflecting on Monza's challenges, Antonelli aims to focus on clean sessions for the rest of 2025. He noted that an early off-track excursion in FP2 left him unprepared for the race. "In Monza, I went off in FP2 super early on and I ended up not doing long runs," he explained. This lack of preparation made it difficult to adapt during the race.

Kimi checking in for Thursday in Baku pic.twitter.com/OYFSEgmmnL

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Antonelli is determined to have more successful sessions moving forward. He emphasised the importance of gaining experience through laps and delivering strong performances in both qualifying and races. "The main goal is to have clean sessions and get as many laps as possible," he stated.

As Antonelli continues his journey in Formula One, he remains focused on improving his skills and securing a seat for 2026. His current one-year contract with Mercedes adds pressure to perform well throughout the remaining races of this season.