Apr.7 (GMM) Kimi Antonelli says he believes he can fight for the 2026 world championship – but admits teammate George Russell still holds the advantage.
The 19-year-old Mercedes driver, now the youngest championship leader in Formula 1 history, struck a cautious tone in interviews with both Bild and Sky Italia during the April break.
“Yes, absolutely,” Antonelli said when asked by Bild if his rapid rise feels surreal.
“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.
“It’s easy to lose focus and get carried away when everyone’s celebrating you. But I’ve also noticed that expectations of me have changed drastically. That’s why I no longer use social media on race weekends, to avoid feeling any additional pressure. Because the truth is, there are still 19 races to go.
“I want to achieve more than just one victory. My ultimate goal is to be in contention for the title at the end of the season and then win it.”
Despite his confidence, Antonelli openly acknowledged his biggest limitation.
“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 the 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.”
Speaking separately to Sky Italia, Antonelli admitted the enforced April break has come at a frustrating time.
“Definitely, it’s a shame we have such a long break, but at the same time, I’m not complaining too much because I’m able to spend quite a few days at home.
“And that’s important, because it’s been a pretty intense start to the season.”
Still, he would rather be racing.
“Yes, also because I’m already missing the track. It’s disappointing because when you’re in such a crucial moment… ultimately, we’re coming off a positive start to the season. The car is going really strong.
“This break gives our rivals more opportunities to close in.”
Antonelli also revealed he was far from satisfied even after winning in Suzuka.
“Yes, I have to say that in Japan on Sunday I didn’t enjoy the victory as much as I wanted because I was p*ssed off about the start.
“I was definitely aware that I was very lucky despite that. I was really angry about the start, because it was a real shock, it made me want to tear my hair out. I’m already working on it.”
He plans to use the break to improve.
“Definitely the simulator for the starts. Now I’ll get the steering wheel with all my settings. Let’s just say I’m already thinking about how to improve these starts.”