Wolff jokes pillow could help Antonelli after four Singapore track-limit breaches

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff joked that a hotel pillow might help Kimi Antonelli see the white lines after the driver exceeded track limits four times in the Singapore Grand Prix. Behind the joke was a real risk: the theoretical penalty for a fourth strike was five seconds.

Antonelli escaped the sanction because one of the incidents was linked to a loss of control amid brake issues. Wolff said Antonelli had already reached three strikes halfway through the race, a situation that stressed Mercedes. He also saw the breaches as evidence that Antonelli was pushing hard.

The possible five seconds would not have changed Antonelli’s result: he finished third, with a 16-second gap to Lando Norris. Wolff praised his composure in what he described as a difficult car, saying Antonelli had told him he needed to stay calm and make sure he finished.