Martin Brundle brands Kimi Antonelli “lucky” but notes “impressive” trait
Toto Wolff's role in Kimi Antonelli's rise is assessed
Martin Brundle has delivered his verdict on Kimi Antonelli’s first F1 session in a Mercedes.
Antonelli crashed just minutes into FP1 on Friday - a dreadful start for the teen driver who is set to replace Lewis Hamilton next season as Mercedes’ new hope.
Toto Wolff reacted to Antonelli’s crash by insisting his faith remains steadfast in the 18-year-old prodigy.
“Toto is doing the only thing he can - to support his man,” Sky Sports’ Brundle said.
“They are not going to get Max Verstappen. It seems that they are going to use Antonelli, who is clearly a big star in the making.
“All they can do is mitigate.
“Sir Jackie Stewart, for many decades, has had an expression: ‘Puppy dogs will wet the carpet!’
“That’s more or less what Toto is saying but in a more eloquent way.
“Antonelli is lucky that he’s got such an understanding team and boss around him, and that they believe in him so much.
“Onwards and upwards. He went straight back out to start pumping in F2 times, which was impressive.”
After a routine trip to the medical centre on Friday after his FP1 crash, Antonelli returned to the track for Formula 2 qualifying.
He qualified sixth for F2 action at Monza this weekend.
'Spotlight of F1' warning for Antonelli
Antonelli is expected to be named by Mercedes as the successor to Ferrari-bound Hamilton.
His entry into Formula 1 will make him the most highly-touted rookie since Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
“He is, but you never know until they are under the spotlight of F1 when they are measured in every way, every day,” Brundle said.
“It’s like a flower growing. Sometimes the spotlight makes the flower grow taller, sometimes it wilts them. You never know until they are in that situation.
“There have been drivers who were sensational in karting and junior racing but got to F1 then didn’t deliver.
“Where he’s a lucky boy is that he will parachute into a front-running, grand prix-winning, perhaps championship-winning team.
“That means you don’t go through years at the back of the grid, all the shunts, all the pressure.”
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
