Wolff: Antonelli could develop into Senninha rather than the next Senna

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said he is still hesitant to compare Kimi Antonelli with Ayrton Senna. However, Wolff, who spent a week in Brazil dealing with Senna's legacy and family, hinted that the Senninha comparison could be fitting for the Italian driver.

Antonelli met with some members of the Senna family ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday. He sat in the cockpit of the 1986 model Lotus car of the three-time world champion Senna and visited his grave. Senna's traces can still be seen everywhere at Interlagos.

The 20-year-old driver became the youngest Formula 1 world champion in history last week in Mexico by securing the drivers' championship. Wolff said the Senna family had jokingly given Antonelli the nickname Senninha, meaning "Little Senna."

Wolff said, "I have always been reluctant to compare Kimi with Senna. Senna is a giant of the sport. As a person and as a driver, it is clear who he was." Wolff noted that for a 20-year-old driver, such standards create great pressure.

In Brazil, the name Senninha also evokes a popular comic book character inspired by Senna, which hit the market a few months before the driver lost his life at Imola in 1994. Antonelli, in a statement to Reuters, said his childhood hero Senna inspired him at an early age with his dedication, passion and empathy.

Antonelli's race in Sao Paulo, however, did not end in the fairytale victory his fans had hoped for.