Toto Wolff made a request to Italian journalists after Kimi Antonelli secured his maiden F1 win

Follow us on Google Discover

Very few people would have been as delighted as Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff when Andrea Kimi Antonelli became the 161st winner in Formula 1 history at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix.

Kimi Antonelli drove a perfect race after becoming F1’s youngest-ever pole sitter, clearing Lewis Hamilton after his rapid start and driving off into the distance.

Mercedes recorded a second one-two finish of the season, and now Antonelli sits only four points behind teammate George Russell in the drivers’ championship.

Some sensational performances in Shanghai 🔥 Who is your pick for Driver of the Day at the Chinese Grand Prix?

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

Team principal Toto Wolff knows Mercedes need to avoid putting too much pressure on Antonelli at such a young age.

You could argue that Toto Wolff’s decision to put him in a Formula 1 car at the age of 18 is counterproductive if that’s his goal, but the teenager has now proved beyond doubt that he deserves his place on the grid.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Toto Wolff tells Italian media not to ‘sensationalise’ Kimi Antonelli after Chinese Grand Prix win

Antonelli was greeted by his family, fans and the media when he touched down at Bologna Airport following his famous victory.

He spoke about looking forward to a quiet meal with his friends and family rather than any huge celebrations after becoming Italy’s first Grand Prix winner since Giancarlo Fisichella.

A report from AutoMoto has shared more details about the expectations being placed on the media by Wolff.

The Silver Arrows team principal is trying his hardest to avoid Antonelli becoming overwhelmed by the position he’s been put in.

Kimi Antonelli’s win in Shanghai makes him the second youngest Grand Prix winner in F1 history. Will Max Verstappen’s record ever be broken?!

Let us know in the comments below!

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

Antonelli struggled at his home in Imola last year, with so much media attention on him and the 19-year-old keen to share his experience of a first F1 race in front of an Italian crowd with his friends and family.

That started a mid-season slump that he only got out of after another disappointing result at Monza.

The report from AutoMoto suggests that Wolff singled out the Italian journalists in China, and told them ‘to avoid sensationalism regarding Antonelli’.

Lewis Hamilton has experienced the pressure of the Italian press since his move to Ferrari, with his life constantly under the microscope both on and off the track.

Antonelli will be in the same boat very soon, especially if he ends up being in championship contention later on in the campaign.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Mercedes F1 CEO and team principal Toto Wolff

Toto Wolff’s brilliant radio message to Kimi Antonelli after his first Formula 1 win

Antonelli immediately spoke to race engineer Peter Bonnington when he crossed the line in Shanghai, and it was an emotional moment for many fans when they shared the podium with Hamilton.

However, Wolff quickly had a defiant message for his young protege before he got out of the car and said: “He’s too young. We shouldn’t put him a Mercedes. Put him in a smaller team. He needs the experience. Look at the mistakes he makes. Here we go, Kimi. Victory.”

Talking about Antonelli in his official post-race press conference, Wolff continued: “When things go bad, there are people who come out and say, ‘That was a bad decision,’ and ‘Mercedes took too much risk.’ And it was never really harsh criticism because people recognise the talent that he has,” he said.

“But there were many voices within the sport and outside that said, ‘That was a mistake to do.’ So it’s nice to have a little revenge. But obviously, it’s one race win.

“And this sport that we live in is manic depressive. Today, it’s great. In two weeks, we are in Japan, and he puts it in the wall, and people say he’s too young. So I think we need to just keep our feet on the ground.”

Antonelli’s FP1 crash at Monza in 2024 will always be a defining moment in his career, an immediate sign that this young Italian was never going to play it safe.

Italy hasn’t had a Formula 1 world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, and it’s up to the country’s media not to put too much pressure on Antonelli to break that 73-year curse just yet.