F1 pundit describes Mercedes boss Toto Wolff's messaging around Kimi Antonelli as "consistently inconsistent"

F1 pundit Scott Mitchell Malm claimed that Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff's comment about F2 driver Kimi Antonelli has been 'consistently inconsistent'.

The Italian driver has found himself as one of the top contenders for the vacant Mercedes seat in the 2025 season as Lewis Hamilton departs the German team at the end of the year.

Antonelli is a rookie at the F2 championship this season and has attracted a lot of attention, having skipped the F3 entirely after his triumphs in the junior series. However, Wolff is yet to completely back the 17-year-old to be a replacement for the seven-time world champion next year.

While appearing on The Race F1 podcast, Mitchell-Malm spoke about the Mercedes team boss's comments about Antonelli and his potential to replace Hamilton. He said:

"I would describe Wolff's messaging around Kimi Antonelli as consistently inconsistent because right from the very start, he's wanted to say the right things and wanted to avoid rushing things and putting pressure on Antonelli.

"For example, his Australia's messaging was evident in the first media session Wolff did after they lost Hamilton. Off the record, there have been clear indications that actually Antonelli is the first choice if it all comes together."

Mercedes team boss chimes in on 'talking up' Kimi Antonelli

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff claimed that he was to blame for talking up 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli even before he turned a wheel in F2.

The Austrian had said that the Italian 'was the best driver in F3 since Max Verstappen'. As per F1.com, Wolff spoke about Antonelli and said:

“I’m probably guilty in having talked too much about Kimi because he’s just 17, he jumped F3, and he’s going into F2.

"He needs to learn, he needs to be more, let’s say, in the shadows to be able to develop, understand what to do, and whether he’s going to be in Formula 1 if everything goes to plan, but I don’t know if that is next year or whether it’s with us or someone else.”

It is still unclear if Kimi Antonelli will join the former world champion next year or go to Williams F1 to bed himself in the sport if he gets the required super license points for 2025.

Wolff has reiterated multiple times that the team has several options to replace Lewis Hamilton and isn't in a rush to make any decisions in the coming weeks.