Toto Wolff has labelled Kimi Antonelli’s race win at the United States Grand Prix “the race of a champion who isn’t a champion yet.”
Antonelli, 20, edged ever closer to sealing the world title after converting pole into a race victory, but will have to wait a little longer to wrap it up.
He needed to win the race and for Lewis Hamilton to finish fifth or lower and George Russell to finish ninth or lower. Hamilton crossed the line fourth, with Russell eighth.
In order to get the job done at the next round in Mexico, Antonelli will need to finish at least ninth to win the title with five races remaining.
Mercedes boss Wolff could only praise the youngster for his “exceptional” performance.
“On Kimi’s side, obviously that is the main headline,” he told media after the race. “For me, the best race that he’s delivered so far. Getting off the start with the inferior [medium] tyre and then controlling it at all times.
“The race of a champion who isn’t the champion yet, but exceptional. So I think he’s outperformed the car. Maybe it’s a bit harsh to say, but I think his driving style just glues with the car.”
Mercedes invested time and huge sums of money into Antonelli when he was just 11, but Wolff reiterated that results do not come overnight, but that the satisfaction is immense.
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He added: “The development of nine years, the hardship over nine years, the integration of the team, the working with the engineers, the 10 or more spent millions in the development of his career, of his ability, of his character together with his parents. And it’s just not that it landed like this.
“There are many people that said last year after nine races without points, he shouldn’t be in a Mercedes. People in other teams that said he shouldn’t even be in Formula 1. And all of that now is extremely satisfying to see what he’s able to deliver.
“How he’s working with the team, with Bono [Peter Bonnington, Antonelli’s race engineer] and yielding the results. But it wasn’t an easy road. So I’m happy that, like you say, 99.9%. He still needs to finish the race in Mexico.
“So it’s either going to be a big tequila party, or if it’s not a tequila party, then it’s going to be Caipirinha the weekend afterwards [for the Brazilian Grand Prix].”