By: For Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who turned 20 on 25 August, 2026 is shaping up to be a dream season. With nine races remaining, the Bologna-born driver has amassed eight wins and four podiums, giving him an 81-point lead over team-mate George Russell at the top of the standings.
Not once has he finished off the podium. Andrea Kimi Antonelli's 2026 campaign has been almost perfect so far. Whenever he has taken the chequered flag, he has always made the podium, while his only two retirements, in Barcelona and at Silverstone, were not down to him but to technical problems with the car.
Antonelli has shown plenty of quality; now comes the difficult part
Many might say he wins because he has a car capable of doing so, but when Antonelli's results are compared with those of team-mate George Russell, it becomes clear that Kimi has shown impressive mental strength. It is not just about talent. He obviously has that in abundance. We have often said that, in our view, Kimi was the first of all to understand how to extract the full potential from these cars, and that is clearly the result of his great talent.
Over the course of the championship, we have also had the chance to see his great mental strength. Seasons can sometimes be won by knowing how to curb the urge to stand out and win at all costs. At circuits where attacking his rivals could have jeopardised the result of an entire weekend, Kimi has resisted the temptation, even settling for second or third place (Hungary and the Netherlands are examples).
In Italy, at Monza, however, all his determination came to the fore. Forced to start from 19th due to an engine change, Antonelli found another dimension. Driving with surgical precision, he overtook his rivals at an impressive rate and was back in the fight for victory after just 15 laps.
Now, though, as he stands one step away from what would be his first world title, the question is whether he can also show the character of a champion. Because becoming world champion is one thing, but having the character of one is another matter entirely. A champion is a cannibal, very selfish once the helmet goes on.
You can win a world championship without being a champion
A champion is always looking towards the next target. He is never satisfied and, in Antonelli's case, he could—or perhaps should—already be thinking about the next world championship, even before receiving the recognition he deserves for a fantastic season in every respect.
The first opponent is always your team-mate, and George Russell is certainly going through the lowest point of his Formula 1 career. Thinking about next year's championship could mean Antonelli trying to further undermine the confidence his team-mate has in himself. Perhaps by challenging him on track. Not necessarily beating him. Staying close to him, showing him what he is capable of, striking him even deeper.
The 2026 championship immediately went in the right direction for Antonelli. Russell was never a genuine threat, Ferrari were too far behind to be a real concern, and McLaren only began to find performance too late in the season. Next season could be a different story. Antonelli could find himself fighting McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari more often as well. Therefore, if he were able to put his team-mate out of contention by making the most of this final part of the season, he would prove himself to be a very intelligent driver, with the mindset of a true champion.
Cover photo by Luca Martini / WHYOUT Images
Interior photos by Finlay Williams / WHYOUT Images
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