As Kimi Antonelli claims his third successive victory, Toto Wolff admits his fears over outside pressure.
One almost – that’s almost – has to feel sympathy for the Sky Sports team – even though the broadcaster yesterday announced the second price rise in three months. Suddenly, the Sky team find themselves torn between their unending bias towards British drivers and Italian sensation Kimi Antonelli, a choice that Sky Italia doesn’t have to make.
As Antonelli mounts a serious title challenge, Toto Wolff fears the pressure the teenager will come under, not only on track, but in the media, especially in his homeland which has been waiting for a world champion for seven decades, indeed since Alberto Ascari scored back-to-back titles in 1952 and 1953.
“The easiest bit is making sure that he keeps both feet on the ground within the team,” said the Austrian, “his parents have done a great job in keeping him grounded.
“The bigger problem is the Italian public,” he admitted. “Now that they are not qualifying for football it is all about Sinner and Antonelli,” he continued, referring to Italian tennis sensation, Jannik Sinner. “I think Sinner won in Madrid so it is the two superstars and that is something that we need to contain.
“There are so many requests for his time,” said Wolff. “It’s on us to keep the handbrake on that. We just really need to stay calm because such success for such a young man at this stage, all of Italy will be on him.
“Sinner and Antonelli, Antonelli and Sinner… we have won three Grands Prix, Sinner is world number one and has won many grand slams.”
Sitting alongside Marco Antonelli, Kimi’s father, Wolff turned to him and said: “The risk is that he is being carried away too quickly. The parents will keep him grounded, right Marco?”
“Right!” replied papa Antonelli.
“The family and us,” Wolff continued, “you’re the first one actually Marco to calm him down even when he is winning, we need to keep repeating the message.
“This is the long game,” the Austrian added, “he has a killer of a teammate that is extremely fast. We want to play the long game, he can hopefully win many championships over ten years, fifteen years, we don’t want to stumble now with these huge expectations on him.”
The teenager’s debut season was littered with mistakes, however, under the guidance of Wollf, Antonelli has clearly learned from them. The doubt that hung over him during much of 2025 now a distant memory.
“It is easier to calm someone down that is wild because you won’t be able to accelerate a donkey,” said Wolff. “For me that was his best race so far. It reminds me of his karting days, there was no mistakes.
“It is astounding these few races,” he continued. “In a way it is what we predicted as a team. There are up and down moments, moments of brilliance, moments where you tear your hair out and this year it is all coming together.
“I don’t think any of us would have expected this kind of run. How he has been able to capitalise on the car is special.”
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