Wolff has solution to Antonelli's long-standing issue: 'I'm gonna put a pillow under his b*tt'

Antonelli's weekend in Singapore proved challenging for Mercedes, with the team's latest upgrades still failing to deliver the expected improvement in performance. While the Italian continued running the updated package, teammate George Russell reverted to the old specification. Despite the difficulties, Antonelli and his team worked throughout the weekend to improve the car's behaviour, eventually finding a more competitive balance for Sunday's race.

Although the W17 still lacked the pace Mercedes expected from its updated package, Antonelli managed to secure a podium finish, demonstrating his ability to extract a result from a car that was far from straightforward to drive.

However, one aspect of the Italian's performance left Wolff particularly concerned. Antonelli repeatedly pushed the limits of the circuit, accumulating three track limits strikes before the halfway point of the race and leaving Mercedes worried about a potential penalty.

It is a tendency that has been evident since his Formula 1 debut, with the young Italian regularly running close to the white lines in his efforts to extract the maximum performance from his car.

Speaking to GPBlog after the race, Wolff praised Antonelli's composure but could not resist making a joke about the Italian's tendency to exceed track limits. The Austrian suggested that his driver's seating position might be part of the problem, before proposing a rather unconventional solution.

Wolff then explained just how uncomfortable the situation became for Mercedes, with Antonelli already close to the threshold for a track limits penalty relatively early in the Grand Prix: "That stresses us. By half the race, we already had three strikes. But it also shows that he's pushing the limits a lot."

Despite those concerns, Wolff was pleased with the maturity Antonelli showed in managing the difficult car and bringing home another podium. The Mercedes boss revealed that the Italian remained focused on finishing the race rather than taking unnecessary risks, particularly as the team continued to learn about its latest upgrade package.

Antonelli's third-place finish came after he overtook Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages, securing his 14th podium of the season and extending his championship advantage over Russell to 102 points.