Toto Wolff makes emotional Antonelli admission amid stunning run

The Mercedes team boss, who has watched his prodigy surge to the top of the drivers’ standings in only his second season in the sport, reflected on the expectations now being placed on Antonelli and the reaction he could face from the public when setbacks inevitably arrive after such a flawless run of form.

The 54-year-old stressed that Mercedes’ primary objective is to carefully nurture Antonelli’s development, describing the teenager as a “rough diamond”.

"That's exactly what scares me. Kimi is young, he's charismatic, a little big star... but after a great start, he could have some bad moments, and I don't want the public to start saying, 'Oh, what's happening? We were wrong about him?' It will all be part of the growth process we, as a team, are ready for, but the response from the public, especially in Italy, scares us a little. We all want Kimi to become one of the greats of F1, but it's only the beginning and we have to treat him like a rough diamond. The media, the fans, and even us at the team have to make this effort,” Wolff said to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Except for the opening race of the season in Australia, where he finished second to team-mate George Russell, Antonelli has largely been head and shoulders above the rest of the F1 grid. However, Wolff’s call for tempered expectations follows that of Helmut Marko, who was also measured with his plaudits, recounting how the 19-year-old struggled through much of the European leg of the campaign despite a promising start to the season.

Earlier, Antonelli detailed that he has no intention of resting on his laurels in the title fight despite securing a third consecutive win in Miami. The Italian driver moved 20 points clear of his team-mate after his win in Florida, with Russell enduring another difficult weekend, missing out on the podium in Suzuka as well.

The standings now tilt in favour of Antonelli, who holds almost a full race margin while remaining fully aware that the title fight is still a long way from over. Sharing his thoughts on the championship, the Italian highlighted the strong momentum he is currently enjoying while stressing that the season remains long and unpredictable.

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