Kimi Antonelli has been compared to Italian compatriot Jannik Sinner amid the duo’s dominance of Formula 1 and tennis over the past few months.
Mercedes’ 19-year-old driver Antonelli extended his F1 world championship lead to 20 points after victory at the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday, his third consecutive win. On the same day, world No 1 tennis player Sinner cruised to the Madrid Open title – his fifth-straight Masters 1000 crown.
In addition, Sunday’s victories maintain an intriguing 2026 record: all of Antonelli’s wins this season have come on the same day Sinner has triumphed in Masters 1000 events: Chinese GP and Indian Wells, Japan GP and Miami and now Miami GP and Madrid.
Yet Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who promoted Antonelli from his junior programme to replace Lewis Hamilton last season, is eager to keep his protege “grounded” amid a newfound focus on him from the Italian public.
"The easiest bit is making sure that he keeps both feet on the ground within the team, his parents have done a great job in keeping him grounded," Wolff said, after Antonelli’s win in Miami. "The bigger problem is the Italian public.
“Now that they are not qualifying for football [Italy missed out on a third-straight World Cup], it is all about Sinner and Antonelli. 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 [Antonelli’s] time. It's on us to keep the handbrake on that. We just really need to stay calm here 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."
In an amusing moment, Antonelli’s father Marco was gathered amid the media conference in the Hard Rock Stadium and was spoken to directly by Wolff.
Wolff said: "The risk is that he is being carried away too quickly. The parents will keep him grounded, right Marco?" Antonelli Snr. replied: “Right!”
Wolff added: "The family and us - 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. 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 10 years, 15 years, we don't want to stumble now with these huge expectations on him."
Russell now trails Antonelli by 20 points heading into the next race in Canada on 24 May – the same day the French Open at Roland Garros begins for favourite Sinner, who can complete the career Grand Slam in Carlos Alcaraz’s absence.
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