Andrea Kimi Antonelli is eyeing a 2026 Components 1 title struggle as his Mercedes crew enters the 12 months as championship favourites – however boss Toto Wolff is taking part in down expectations.
This 12 months, F1 will introduce a totally new set of rules with modifications to each the chassis and energy unit – that means it’s at the moment unclear what the pecking order might be given the wholesale switch-up.
However Mercedes continues to be the bookmakers’ favorite contemplating it dominated the final engine change in 2014 with a file eight, straight titles. It additionally began this season strongly, and impressed in final week’s Barcelona shakedown.
The Silver Arrows accomplished probably the most mileage of any crew throughout its three days of operating, with Antonelli even conducting a full race simulation – an enormous feat so early on.
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It due to this fact appears as if Mercedes has overcome its 4 disappointing years throughout the ground-effect period the place both McLaren or Purple Bull clinched each title because the Silver Arrows fell far behind.
So Antonelli now has his sights on profitable the championship, regardless of being solely 19 years outdated and coming into his second season after ending seventh in his rookie marketing campaign with three podiums.
“That is completely the purpose,” stated Antonelli, who was quick tracked to F1 with 5 titles on the junior degree, throughout the official Mercedes 2026 launch on Monday.
“The purpose is to win and to finally struggle for the world championship. So, that is my purpose and the purpose is to win and to be the most effective. So undoubtedly, that is what I would like and naturally, George [Russell] may be very, very robust and undoubtedly is able to struggle for a championship and is among the benchmarks on the grid. I believe it may be fairly enjoyable, particularly competing with him and so, yeah, actually wanting ahead to it.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes W17
Photograph by: Mercedes AMG
Wolff, nevertheless, isn’t hyping up Antonelli’s title probabilities after a really up-and-down 2025 marketing campaign because the Italian’s three podiums and Miami dash pole was marred by varied pointless errors like crashing in a free apply outing.
There may be additionally the added caveat that team-mate Russell is now in his eighth 12 months of F1, was thought-about one of the best driver behind Max Verstappen final season and is the title favorite.
The Mercedes boss stated: “Kimi, he is utterly on the trajectory that we have all the time mapped out at the start, final 12 months – first 12 months in Components 1 with this enormous circus coming upon him, the obligations with the media, the requests from sponsors and fan fandom and that is precisely why we had superb performances after which some races the place he struggled extra.
“So now there isn’t any doubt about his velocity and about his race craft. He is going into his second season, he is aware of all of the tracks, he is aware of all of you guys, he is aware of a lot of the different necessities. So I am completely sure that it is going to be a very good 12 months for him.
“Having stated that, I do not assume we should always anticipate him to be on high, to be like George on a regular basis. George is among the finest ones, he is been in Components 1 a very long time.
“He is a benchmark and Kimi’s 19 and he is going into his second season. So we will see one other step that I am sure about.”
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