Antonelli produced another impressive drive at the Madring to claim victory after starting second on the grid.
Although Lando Norris had the outright pace, Antonelli made the most of a well-timed virtual safety car to secure his eighth win of the Formula 1 season.
The result strengthened his position at the top of the drivers’ championship and moved him 81 points clear of Mercedes team-mate George Russell, with only eight or nine rounds remaining.
Yet even while comfortably controlling the closing stages, Antonelli still found a way to keep Wolff on the edge of his seat.
The 20-year-old brushed the wall with five laps remaining before immediately asking his team to check the car.
Wolff admitted he sometimes struggles to understand just how relaxed Antonelli remains when pushing his Mercedes to the limit.
“I think he’s cool – sometimes an inch too cool!” Wolff told Sky Sports F1.
“When he brushes the wall five laps from the end and comes on the radio, ‘check the car,’ you’re like, ‘really, again, white lines, walls,’ but maybe that’s how he keeps himself in the zone.”
Despite the moments of anxiety, Wolff believes Antonelli’s ability to deal with pressure is one of his biggest strengths.
The Mercedes boss pointed to the Italian’s background in karting and junior racing, where he developed an ability to remain composed when others struggled with the pressure.
“He’s just doing his thing,” Wolff said. “We told him, ‘This is a race where we need to bring it home, need to score points whether it’s P2 or P5, we don’t care, just drive it home’.
“He does that and goes fast.”
Antonelli’s championship advantage means he does not need to take unnecessary risks in every race, but his victory in Madrid showed there is little sign of him changing his aggressive approach.
Wolff believes that confidence could serve Antonelli well throughout a long Formula 1 career.
“Almost his youth helps him a lot because he’s 20,” Wolff said. “He could stay in this sport for 20 years with so many opportunities.
“He’s so above all of our expectations and his own. He’s just going with the flow.”
The next round is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku from September 24-26, where Antonelli will look to extend his championship advantage once again.
