By Alan Baldwin
MIAMI, May 3 (Reuters) - Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said he would need to keep a handbrake on the hype as Kimi Antonelli's sensational start to the Formula One season provides Italy with a feelgood story after their soccer side's failure to qualify for the World Cup finals.
Hope and expectations are soaring at home as the 19-year-old Italian driver, the sport's youngest ever championship leader, goes from success to success with the Miami Grand Prix weekend producing a third pole
position and win in a row.
Wolff said keeping feet on the ground was the easier part, thanks to the support of the youngster's family.
"The bigger problem is the Italian public," said the Austrian, whose team have won all four races this season.
"Now that they are not qualified for the football, it's all about (tennis world number one Jannik) Sinner and Antonelli. It's the two that are, you know, superstars. And that's something which we need to contain.
"There are so many requests for his time from the media, from sponsors. Now it's on us to keep the handbrake on. The risk is that he is being carried away too quickly."
The World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, gets underway on June 11 and four-times champions Italy are not part of it after failing to qualify for the third time in a row.
Sinner on Sunday became the first man to win five successive Masters 1000 titles after he crushed Alexander Zverev 6-1 6-2 in the Madrid Open final.
BEST RACE SO FAR
Wolff said Sunday's race at the Hard Rock Stadium was Antonelli's best yet.
"It reminds me of his karting days, there were no mistakes," he said.
"The pressure on him he takes it so well, analyses it but doesn't overthink it... 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.
"This is the long game, he has a killer of a team-mate 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."
Teammate George Russell, the pre-season favourite, finished fourth in Miami and is now 20 points behind. The Briton won in Australia but recognised Miami was a track where he had struggled in the past.
Antonelli had a mixed rookie season last year, setting age records for fastest laps and a sprint pole but also, as expected, making mistakes.
Wolff said 2026 was continuing as expected, with the youngster learning and improving.
"It is astounding these few races. 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," he said.
"I don't think any of us would have expected this kind of run."
(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Toby Davis)
