ANT 'N' WRECK

Kid Kimi's struggling under huge pressure, says Merc chief Wolff

- BY DANIEL MOXON

TOTO WOLFF admitted Mercedes have put floundering teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli under "maximum pressure".

TOTO WOLFF admitted Mercedes have put floundering teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli under "maximum pressure".

But Wolff insists his belief in the struggling 19-year-old's potential has not been knocked by his difficult start to life in F1.

Italian Antonelli crashed in his first practice run at Monza last year but still inherited Lewis Hamilton's seat after the seven-time champion left for Ferrari.

He finished fourth in an impressive debut and took his first F1 podium in June at the Canadian Grand Prix.

But that was one of just two top-10 finishes in his last eight outings. And Antonelli has been beaten by teammate George Russell in all 14 Grands Prix so far.