Former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert thinks that Toto Wolff secretly has a slight preference for Andrea Kimi Antonelli, should this season turn into an internal title battle between the young Italian and his Mercedes teammate George Russell. According to the three-time Grand Prix winner, it is clear that the Austrian is more on the side of the youngest championship leader ever, although Herbert himself also wishes it for George Russell: ‘He already showed in the past that he could beat Lewis Hamilton’.
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli made history in Suzuka by becoming the youngest driver ever to take the lead in the drivers’ championship. Although the young Mercedes driver himself does not yet dare to dream of a world title, his name is increasingly being linked to the title fight this year. According to Johnny Herbert, former Formula 1 driver, Kimi Antonelli has everything it takes to become world champion.
“Yes, definitely, he can win the title. He will only grow and get stronger as he matures,” the three-time Grand Prix winner tells Motorsport Week. “Kimi is in a way mature and immature at the same time, because he is a very, very nice young man. But he has Toto Wolff behind him, and that is something very powerful for him. It is probably harder for George (Russell, ed.), because no matter how much you try to ignore it – and I’m sure Toto doesn’t want it to look like he prefers one over the other – it has already become clear. You already know that there is probably already a slight preference for Kimi.”
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Support for Russell
According to Herbert, both Kimi Antonelli and Russell will have a serious chance at their first world title for the first time in 2026. “I hope George pulls it off,” the former driver throws his support behind Russell. “I think George is a nice guy. He has his own ways, and some people don’t get along with him so well when he makes a comment every now and then. But he has worked very hard to reach the position he is in now. He has worked very well in the past with drivers like Lewis (Hamilton, ed.) and shown that he could beat him. And I hope it works out. But Kimi looks very, very strong at the moment. We will have to wait and see.”
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