Kimi Antonelli’s Italian Grand Prix win from nineteenth on the grid was a press release efficiency and extends his lead within the Components 1 world championship to 66 factors.
With a most of 10 rounds left – topic to the Qatar and Abu Dhabi GPs and the state of affairs within the Center East – the Italian driver is in a supremely robust place to seal the 2026 world title.
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So, is the 2026 F1 world title struggle over? Our writers have their say.
It’d have to be a generational choke for Antonelli to lose it from right here
I don’t need to say it’s completed and dusted earlier than the European stretch of the season is over however this felt monumental. To go from nineteenth on the grid to victory, in opposition to the likes of George Russell and Max Verstappen on the entrance of the pack, goes to go down in historical past as the primary second Antonelli demonstrated his F1 world champion credentials.
A niche of 66 factors with 10-ish rounds to go isn’t inconceivable to overturn – simply two DNFs and the stress is correct on high of the 20-year-old – however he simply doesn’t appear phased by any of it and, if something, is driving higher now than at any level in his burgeoning profession in F1.
Antonelli has proven already he can financial institution stable outcomes when wanted, and in addition cost for the win when it’s there for the taking; he successfully did each one after the opposite at Monza this weekend.
Sure, ending second to Russell in each race nonetheless isn’t sufficient to mathematically seal the title, however along with his team-mate anticipated to serve a again of the grid penalty for an engine change in Azerbaijan, he has an ideal alternative to make that state of affairs a actuality.
– Haydn Cobb
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, George Russell, Mercedes
Picture by: Clive Rose / Components 1 through Getty Photographs
It’s not over – however Russell will want luck
Antonelli positively dealt a sizeable blow to Russell’s title hopes in Monza however, as of at present, there are 10 rounds to go – 258 factors to attain.
Russell’s deficit is as much as 66 factors, and the dynamic isn’t beneficial to him, as frustration will understandably be rising – although he was very gracious in defeat on Sunday.
To be able to make up such a considerable hole, Russell will want the celebrities to align. Antonelli doesn’t have many off days; in 13 grands prix to date this season, he has completed on the rostrum 11 instances to Russell’s seven.
That exceptional consistency usually results in a world title, with few examples on the contrary. Coincidentally, it occurred simply final yr. Oscar Piastri additionally had 11 podiums from the primary 13 rounds, by which era he was 16 factors forward of team-mate Lando Norris and 81 factors away from Max Verstappen, however he ended up outscored by each.
Aside from that, the latest one was Nico Rosberg in 2014. The German had recorded 11 podiums within the first 13 races, however team-mate Lewis Hamilton had 10 podium finishes himself and was simply 22 factors down within the standings. Thrice fewer than the present hole, in different phrases.
So, such a restoration wouldn’t be unprecedented, as proven by Verstappen – nevertheless it wasn’t comparable given Russell and Antonelli have the identical automobile, in contrast to the Purple Bull racer and the McLaren drivers final yr. So, whereas there’s hope, the Briton actually is an extended shot by now.
– Ben Vinel
Antonelli’s rivals have an excessive amount of to do
There’s actually little or no to counsel something can nonetheless cease Antonelli from clinching the title this yr after his Monza victory. If anybody had doubts earlier than, this weekend most likely eliminated the final arguments for predicting some other final result – barring one thing going utterly improper for the Italian off monitor.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Picture by: Simon Galloway / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
In any case, Isack Hadjar didn’t precisely plan to overlook a few races. So, so long as Antonelli stays away from boxing gloves for the following couple of months, he needs to be positive. If he exhibits up on the grid – no matter the place he begins, apparently – he appears to be like set to change into world champion on the age of 20.
It’s not solely about Antonelli, both. Russell, nonetheless his closest rival, doesn’t simply want to shut a large factors hole – he has to do one thing much more troublesome: keep the idea that he can nonetheless beat Antonelli on any given weekend.
Given how this season has unfolded, and the velocity of the Italian’s progress, it have to be daunting for the Briton to see simply how good his younger team-mate has change into.
Monza additionally confirmed Ferrari might be out of the image. Charles Leclerc by no means actually was in it, and now he’s just too far behind to noticeably take into consideration the title. And Hamilton doesn’t seem to have a automobile able to difficult the Mercedes drivers persistently. The identical applies to Norris and McLaren, whose weaknesses had been uncovered once more this weekend.
– Oleg Karpov
I’m going to name it right here
I simply do not see a means again for Russell. I actually do not. Sure, there are numerous factors on the desk, stranger issues have occurred in F1, and people formidable Mercedes energy items have been glass cannons. I get all that.
However the method wherein Antonelli has been amassing race wins, and accumulating whichever result’s obtainable when Mercedes would not get pleasure from its normal supremacy, is a fairly a marvel for a 20-year-old.
Russell is popping issues round, however even that does not seem like sufficient to be beating Antonelli regularly and that is precisely what he must do. Not maintaining tempo, as he’s roughly doing now, however battering Antonelli.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Picture by: Clive Rose / Components 1 through Getty Photographs
I simply do not see it occurring, as a result of I am afraid Russell has met his match within the younger Italian.
What’s extra, the Italian Grand Prix was imagined to be Antonelli’s mulligan, his joker race the place taking his fifth energy unit meant an train in injury limitation. As an alternative of sustaining injury, he has dealt Russell a psychological hammer blow. In the meantime, Russell nonetheless has to take his engine penalty in a while, and there is not a circuit left the place overtaking shall be this straightforward.
The conclusion to final yr’s title race has proven that 10 races is an eternity, however that was when one of the best driver of his era was doing the chasing. Now, one of the best driver of the following era is out in entrance, and he appears to be like bulletproof. I’m going to name it right here.
– Filip Cleeren
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