Antonelli-Minardi case pulls Mercedes deeper in

The legal battle between Kimi Antonelli and his former manager Giovanni Minardi has widened, with Mercedes now formally drawn into the case.

Corriere dello Sport reports that the Bologna court has ordered both Antonelli and Mercedes to hand over copies of the contracts they signed, together with detailed accounting records covering payments made to the championship leader since he entered Formula 1.

The newspaper describes the dispute as a "multi-million dollar lawsuit" and says Minardi - the son of well-known F1 figure Gian Carlo Minardi - is seeking between 10 and 20 percent of money already earned and still due under the former management agreement.

That could include Antonelli’s fixed salary as well as bonuses for pole positions, Sprint results, Grand Prix wins, points and championship positions.

According to the Italian newspaper, "the court also addressed the order to Mercedes’ executive director, Toto Wolff, as the team’s representative."

The report adds that there is "some dissatisfaction from Mercedes about how the matter is evolving".

If Mercedes fails to comply with the order, the team could face an administrative fine.

And the case may yet become even more uncomfortable for Wolff personally. "It cannot be ruled out that Wolff himself may be called to testify," Corriere dello Sport reports.

The next hearing is scheduled for November 19.