Antonelli's incredible Monza win has Wolff calling him an 'AI agent'
Photo: Race Pictures
Updated:
2 Comments
Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has compared Kimi Antonelli to an 'AI agent' following the young Italian's incredible Italian GP win from P19. Praising the Italian's development since a topsy-turvy debut season, Wolff made the comparison for a driver now 66 points at the top of the standings.
Starting from the back of the grid after an engine penalty at Monza, Antonelli scythed through the field, making up 18 places in just 18 laps before ultimately passing teammate George Russell for the lead on Lap 50 of 53.
Speaking after the race, Mercedes boss Wolff began by highlighting the key factor that delivered Antonelli the win. He told media, including GPblog: "The differentiator today was the ability going through the traffic.
"And we've seen it with other great ones in the past. Lewis [Hamilton], who did it in some some of the races, and that's what he's shown today. You know, there's just no stopping when a driver and a car are on. Then there's just there's nothing that can stop them."
ADVERTISEMENT
From a 'deer in headlights' to 66-point Drivers' lead
Antonelli's incredible rise to the top of the Drivers' standings in 2026 - with the Italian GP being his seventh victory of the season - has come after a debut campaign that showed plenty of promise, but suffered through a difficult European season in the middle of 2025.
Wolff has praised how the 20-year-old has managed to learn from a nine-race spell without points, during which the Austrian compared the then teenager to "a deer in headlights."
When asked what has changed in the space of a year, Wolff replied: "To be honest, I don't know. Last year was according to plan. I've said there's gonna be moments of brilliance, more difficult moments. I think he started the season, and at that time, he found himself like a deer in the headlights.
"In his zone, in the car, extraordinary performances already, but not continuous. And then he had this negative spell over nine races without without scoring points. I remember Spa was terrible obviously for him, and he was feeling down."
ADVERTISEMENT
Monza 2025 a turning point for 'AI agent' Antonelli
Photo: Race Pictures
Wolff then referenced Italian GP last year as a turning point, after Antonelli had finished just P9. Wolff said: "Monza was the point where I for the first time said to him, 'listen, you gotta wake up here.' And never doubting, that's why we gave him the opportunity."
Antonelli, as Wolff explains, responded with form that shocked even those at Mercedes. "And then he came out after the winter out of the blocks in a way that no one saw coming. The ability, how we processed last year, he's been at all the races. He's seen the pressures of the media, the attention that he gets."
It is here where Wolff makes the AI comparison, lauding how Antonelli has been able to improve and learn at a startling pace, one that still surprises the Austrian despite having the Italian on the team for a year and a half.
ADVERTISEMENT
Wolff said: "It's in a way that the system has been processed and saved. And and that's why, you know, the results we've seen afterwards. But it is still surprising and amazing to see how quickly he develops. You know, it's like for me, an AI agent that continuously self improves and learns. That's the speed. And there also his age is for sure beneficial. The ability cognitively, intellectually to come to constantly become better."
Don’t miss GPblog in Google
Mark us as a preferred source and our articles will appear more often at the top of Top Stories.
Add as a preferred / source on Google
