Wolff praises Mercedes’ one-stop call after Antonelli’s Austin win

Toto Wolff praised Mercedes’ one-stop call after Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix in Austin, saying the team had considered a possible Max Verstappen undercut but stayed with its plan.

Wolff told Sky Sports F1 that Mercedes judged a one-stop race the faster option and did not want to react to rivals’ pit calls. Antonelli finished 13.078 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc; Verstappen was third, 17.485 seconds behind.

Naomi Schiff said on Sky Sports F1 that the title pressure weighed less heavily on Antonelli than on George Russell because he was in only his second season. She said nobody would have blamed him for failing to win the championship that year, and called his Austin performance exceptional, adding that nobody had an answer to him.

The victory did not clinch the title. Hamilton finished fourth and Russell eighth; Antonelli needed Hamilton fifth or lower and Russell ninth or lower to take the championship in Austin. The title fight continues in Mexico City.