Toto Wolff has sent a heartfelt internal email to the Mercedes team after Kimi Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 world champion in Mexico. The Mercedes team principal credited the entire team, insisting Antonelli’s achievement wasn’t his alone.

In the email addressed to Mercedes employees, Wolff acknowledged that he had received too much credit for the decision to promote the Italian into an F1 car, highlighting the collective effort that made the youngster’s success possible.

“Success has many fathers. Failure is an orphan,” Wolff wrote in the email, which was made public by deputy team principal Bradley Lord on LinkedIn.

“That’s how the saying goes. But as I reflect on Kimi becoming World Champion, I feel that I have been given far too much credit for a story that belongs to so many people.”

After finishing third in Mexico City behind race winner Max Verstappen and runner-up Lewis Hamilton, Antonelli became the sport’s youngest-ever world champion at 20. He broke Sebastian Vettel’s sixteen-year-old record.

Toto Wolff Reflects on Criticism After Replacing Hamilton With Kimi Antonelli

The transition from seven-time world champion to the 18-year-old Italian was not smooth.

When Wolff announced Antonelli as the replacement for Hamilton in 2024, he faced widespread criticism for his decision, particularly because of the Italian’s age and limited experience in an F1 car.

“Replacing Lewis Hamilton, the most successful driver in Formula 1 history and arguably its most culturally significant figure, with a teenager was never going to be an easy decision,” Wolff said.

“There was plenty of criticism, both from within the sport and outside it, about putting an 18-year-old into a Mercedes. And when Kimi went through a difficult period, with several races without scoring points, those doubts understandably grew louder.”

Kimi Antonelli’s rookie season in 2025 was challenging. He made a strong start, making a debut with a fourth-place finish in Australia, a Sprint pole in Miami and his maiden podium in Canada. However, he went through a tough mid-season stretch in Europe, with a series of non-scoring finishes and retirements.

Despite the topsy-turvy season, Antonelli finished 2025 in seventh place with 150 points, setting a record for the most points earned by a rookie under the current system.

Toto Wolff Credits Mercedes Staff for Kimi Antonelli’s Title Success

The Mercedes boss acknowledged that he believed in Antonelli’s talent and was willing to stand by his decision. However, he was quick to point out that the Italian’s development was made possible by the people working behind the scenes at the team.

Wolff concluded his email by reiterating that Antonelli’s success belonged to everyone who had contributed to his journey.

“Yes, I believed in him,” Wolff said. “And yes, at a certain point I had to make a decision and stand by it.

“But believing in someone is much easier when so many good people have already given you every reason to believe. This is not my success story. It is ours. And I couldn’t be prouder of everyone who has been part of it.”

Kimi Antonelli has dominated the 2026 season, winning nine races, including five in a row. He also won his home race, the Italian Grand Prix, starting from the rear of the field to take the victory in one of the most incredible recovery drives the sport has ever seen.

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