Toto Wolff has revealed when he started to realise that Kimi Antonelli would be crowned the youngest F1 champion in history.
Antonelli claimed the title in Mexico City on November 1st aged 20 years, 2 months, 7 days, to beat Sebastian Vettel's record from 2010 of 23 years, 4 months, 11 days by 3 years, 2 months, 4 days.
His triumph came after a successful campaign, which included nine race wins before the title, with no other driver having more than three, including a record-breaking five successive wins in China, Japan, Miami, Canada, and Monaco.
This run was the first time in history that a driver took their first five grand prix wins in succession, with Antonelli becoming the youngest driver to also record a grand chelem with his dominance in Monte Carlo.
Reflecting after the Italian's success, Wolff revealed that it was around the time of the Monaco win that he began to realise that Antonelli, who held a 66-point lead in the championship over Lewis Hamilton following the race in the Principality, would become the first Brackley driver to be crowned champion since Hamilton in 2020.
"I am so bad at remembering which race I thought he was going to do it, Wolff told media, including RacingNews365.
"I think there was no particular moment, but it was when he was able to put together race weekend after race weekend after race weekend, and how many consecutive races did he win?
"Five. Eventually, I knew that if we were able to provide him with the car, he was going to win the championship."
[Article continues below]
Not a "one-time wonder"
Recalling what he wants to achieve with Antonelli in the future, Wolff declared his intention to ensure the 36th F1 champion was not a "one-time wonder."
"What I've said to him is that together, we have to try for you to stay relevant all your life," Wolff said.
"You have 25 years to go because you're going to drive longer than anybody else did before, and I want to look back in many years and say: 'You stayed relevant all your life,' and that he isn't a one-time wonder.
"But we will work together in a way to help him improve where he can improve, get better and there are not many [drivers] that have stayed relevant, and also world champions who stayed relevant.
"That is what I want to achieve with him."
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Samuel Coop and Nick Golding as they look back on the São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil! Max Verstappen’s simply staggering recovery from 21st on the grid is a key talking point, as is Ferrari’s current power unit struggles.
Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!
Most read
In this article
Never miss a thing from the Formula 1 season! Add the 2026 F1 schedule to your calendar at the touch of a button. Subscribe below and put the dates and times of every race directly on your PC or smartphone, so you don't miss a second from the new season.
Download the F1 calendar Download the F1 calendar
A variant with just the race and qualifying is also available.
Click here to download it..
Join the conversation!