Motor racing-Like a walk on water: Wolff hails Antonelli's Monza miracle

Formula One F1 - Italian Grand Prix - Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy - September 6, 2026 Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli celebrates with fans and his team after winning the race REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

MONZA, Italy, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Mercedes ⁠team boss Toto Wolff felt even on Saturday that Formula One leader Kimi Antonelli might perform a ⁠Sunday miracle at Monza.

The 20-year-old's victory in his home Italian Grand Prix from an initial start ‌on the back of the grid -- 19th with two cars lining up in the pitlane -- was certainly remarkable. Teammate and closest title rival George Russell, who finished second, started on the front row.

"I thought one of the two (Mercedes drivers) was going to win," Wolff said when ​asked what outcome he had expected before the start.

"George, because he was ⁠on pole (at the re-start after the race was ⁠red-flagged) or Kimi because he's going to walk over water.

"And I felt that yesterday also.

"I chatted with his ⁠father ‌yesterday. The father saw that coming."

Wolff said what really made the difference on Sunday was how Antonelli, the first Italian to lead the championship to Monza since 1953 and now the first Italian F1 driver to ⁠win at the "Temple of Speed" since 1966, got through traffic after ​starting at the back due to ‌engine penalties.

"I've seen it with other great ones in the past," said the Austrian, whose team took ⁠Lewis Hamilton to six ​of his seven titles.

"When a driver and a car are one, then there's just nothing that can stop them."

Wolff, whose team won eight constructors' titles in a row from 2014-2021 and look sure to take both championships this year, said he generally ⁠forgot wins but this was one of those he would remember ​given the circumstances.

Antonelli had a tough time at Monza in 2024 before his rookie season last year, the then-teenager debuting in Friday practice to plenty of local expectation but binning the car in the wall.

"It was probably the toughest moment ⁠in his career by himself and his family, a moment where everyone doubted including himself," recalled Wolff.

"And then two years later it's the biggest glory, the biggest moment of his career. It's probably going to be one of his biggest moments for all of the future. Even if he wins another 200, that one will remain special."

Last season ​Wolff said Antonelli had been like a deer in the headlights at times, suffering ⁠ups and downs and needing to prove himself. He has done that far faster and more comprehensively this year than ​anyone had expected.

Russell started the season as favourite, and won the ‌Australian opener, but then Antonelli took five wins in a ​row and everything changed.

"It's still surprising and amazing to see how quickly he develops. For me, it's like an AI agent that continuously improves and learns," said Wolff.

(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Toby Davis)

Thank you for your report!

一级方程式赛车（F1）——意大利大奖赛——意大利蒙扎国家赛车场——2026年9月6日，梅赛德斯车队的安德烈亚·基米·安东内利在赢得比赛后与车迷和车队成员庆祝。（路透社/古列尔莫·曼贾帕内摄）

意大利蒙扎，9 月 6 日（路透社）——梅赛德斯车队老板托托·沃尔夫甚至在周六就觉得，一级方程式赛车领头羊基米·安东内利可能会在周日的蒙扎赛道上创造奇迹。

这位20岁的车手在家乡意大利大奖赛上从发车位末尾（第19位，当时有两辆赛车停在维修区）一路追赶最终夺冠，这无疑是一项了不起的成就。他的队友兼最强劲的冠军竞争对手乔治·拉塞尔最终获得亚军，而他当时是从头排发车的。

“我当时觉得（梅赛德斯车队的）两名车手中会有一人获胜，”沃尔夫在赛前被问及他预期的结果时说道。

“乔治，因为他在（比赛因红旗暂停后重新开始的）比赛中获得了杆位；或者基米，因为他能轻松取胜。”

“我昨天也有这种感觉。”

“我昨天和他父亲聊过了。他父亲早就预料到会这样。”

沃尔夫表示，周日真正决定比赛走向的是安东内利如何从车群中脱颖而出。安东内利是自 1953 年以来第一位在蒙扎赛道领先积分榜的意大利车手，也是自 1966 年以来第一位在“速度圣殿”蒙扎赛道赢得比赛的意大利 F1 车手。他因为引擎处罚从最后一位发车。

“我过去也曾在其他伟大的车手中见过这种情况，”这位奥地利人说道，他的车队曾帮助刘易斯·汉密尔顿赢得了七个世界冠军头衔中的六个。

“当驾驶员和汽车融为一体时，就没有任何东西能够阻止他们。”

沃尔夫的车队在 2014 年至 2021 年间连续八次获得车队总冠军，并且今年很有可能包揽两项总冠军。他表示，他通常会忘记胜利，但考虑到当时的情况，这是一场他会铭记于心的胜利。

安东内利在 2024 年蒙扎赛道遭遇了一场苦战，之后才迎来了他的新秀赛季。当时还是十几岁的他，在周五的练习赛中首次亮相，受到了当地车迷的广泛期待，但却撞上了墙。

沃尔夫回忆说：“这可能是他职业生涯中最艰难的时刻，对他自己和他的家人来说都是如此，当时每个人都心存疑虑，包括他自己。”

“两年后，他迎来了职业生涯中最辉煌的时刻，也是他职业生涯中最伟大的时刻之一。这很可能成为他未来职业生涯中最辉煌的时刻之一。即使他之后再赢得200个冠军，这一刻也将永远是独一无二的。”

上赛季，沃尔夫说安东内利有时就像一只受惊的鹿，状态起伏不定，需要证明自己。而今年，他证明自己的速度和全面性都远远超出了任何人的预期。

拉塞尔赛季初被视为夺冠热门，赢得了澳大利亚揭幕战，但随后安东内利连赢五场，一切都发生了改变。

沃尔夫说：“看到他进步如此之快，仍然让我感到惊讶和惊奇。对我来说，他就像一个不断改进和学习的人工智能代理。”

（艾伦·鲍德温报道，托比·戴维斯编辑）

感谢您的报告！