Kimi Antonelli praised for “finding his feet” ahead of big year for Mercedes in 2026

Kimi Antonelli’s recent progress has been lauded after an impressive sprint race performance at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Antonelli finished second at Interlagos, less than a second behind race winner Lando Norris.

After a tricky European leg of the season, Antonelli has made steady progress in recent races. 

He out-performed George Russell at the Mexico City Grand Prix, finishing ahead of his more experienced teammate for the first time on a Sunday.

Since Singapore, Antonelli has consistently been close to Russell pace-wise - a significant improvement compared to his troublesome middle-season spell.

Three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick has praised Antonelli’s improvement, describing him as “really strong.”

“He’s been really strong. The last handful of races, particularly as we’ve gone away from Europe he’s been very strong,” she said.

“Not always shown. Sometimes being out of position, hasn’t been able to show his full pace or potential and then suddenly you get somewhere like this he’s out front and can show that.

“It’s been a long time coming for him to put a weekend together now. If we can do the same now he’s got the confidence and the car this afternoon then that’s the main thing for him.”

“You’re always going to improve. It’s Oscar Piastri’s third season. It’s different for Kimi as he’s been fast-tracked into this position. 

“One year of F2. More or less in F4 a couple of years ago. He’s been fast-tracked so much and he’s been learning under this microscope and pressure. They’re finding what’s working internally. It’s paying off and he’s really finding his feet.”

Antonelli ‘prepped’ for possible title challenge

2026 is expected to be a big year for Mercedes, with new technical regulations being introduced.

Current paddock rumours suggest Mercedes could be the team to beat next year, with a heavy focus on the new power unit rules.

Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes Antonelli’s rookie year should prepare him well for a possible race-winning car in 2026.

“What they want is to have him ready for next year because this year they’re not in contention for the championship,” Chandhok said.

“They’re not in contention for the championship. There’s a high chance they could be next year. There’s new regulations and the rumour mill is that Mercedes power unit is the one to have.

“They want to make sure Kimi is then ready to fight for the championship. Ready to cope with the pressures. Already in SQ1 he was on the edge. We’ve seen it on a few occasions where he’s been on the limit, just got through, a few stressful moments.

“They want to iron it out by the end of the season. Have a good winter to have him prepped so if the car is a title contender they want to have Kimi fighting right up there.”