Kimi Antonelli says he’s kept the headlines from his first Formula 1 wins as a way to enjoy the moment, even though he knows it’s “dangerous” given how tight the title race with George Russell has become.
Mercedes have started the season strongly, with both drivers sharing early victories. Russell took the opening round in Australia and followed up with a Sprint win in Shanghai, while Antonelli claimed back-to-back wins in China and Japan.
The 19-year-old became not only the youngest driver to ever lead the championship by three years but also extended that gap further after winning back-to-back races in China and Japan. By April, he had built a nine-point lead over Russell heading into the break.
His remarkable start to just his second season didn’t stop there. He also secured his maiden pole position in China, becoming the youngest driver ever to do so, and went on to convert that pole into a victory, making him one of the youngest winners in F1 history.
Kimi Antonelli happy to soak in his first F1 wins despite title warning
Antonelli put together a strong drive to win the Chinese GP, and it would have been his first Grand Slam if Lewis Hamilton hadn’t briefly taken the lead at the start. In Japan, a safety car helped him recover from a slow start to pick up another victory.
The Bologna native says starting his second F1 season with two wins in three rounds “absolutely” feels like something out of a film. He even picked up newspapers after each win, admitting he likes to enjoy those moments, even if it’s “dangerous” during an F1 title race.
“Yes, absolutely, especially in moments like after the victory,” Antonelli told BILD. “It’s crazy how much interest there was in me.
“I bought the newspapers the next day, read them, and I’m going to keep them. Because, of course, you enjoy it, and it feels good, but it’s also dangerous.”
Kimi Antonelli backs himself to beat George Russell for the 2026 F1 title
Antonelli hasn’t started 2026 perfectly cleanly either, but Russell has had even worse luck so far this season. George didn’t get past Charles Leclerc or Hamilton easily during China’s race and also got caught out by a poorly timed safety car in Japan.
Mercedes had plenty of work on their hands after Antonelli crashed during FP3 in Australia too but responded well with a P2 qualifying slot. Race starts remain an area for improvement though – struggles off the line were clear again in Australia plus both races held across Shanghai and Suzuka weekends this April.
Sebastian Vettel currently holds the record for being crowned champion at just over 23 years old – something Antonelli could break easily if things fall into place this year as he believes they can be done already despite less experience compared with older rivals around him now such as Russell.
He said: “Experience is my biggest weakness compared to drivers like George no question you can’t buy that. But I’m confident that I’d still have a chance if opportunity arose.”
“I’ve been working towards this for many years, and my victory showed that I can beat anyone if I perform to my potential. But to do that, I need to get the basics right. My team and I constantly remind ourselves of that.”
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