Mercedes star Kimi Antonelli has supplied up a dream response after his F1 credentials had been referred to as into query.
Kimi Antonelli has disproved Jacques Villeneuve over his doubts (Picture: Getty) This text comprises affiliate hyperlinks, we are going to obtain a fee on any gross sales we generate from it. Study extra
Components 1 chief Kimi Antonelli is displaying he is prepared for the calls for of the grid after a blistering begin to 2026, proving his doubters unsuitable. And former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve is amongst these whose judgment of the driving force was maybe large of the mark.
Antonelli, 19, grew to become the youngest driver in F1 historical past to steer the world championship desk following his win at Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. He crossed the road forward of Mercedes team-mate George Russell to have a good time back-to-back wins. He is additionally taken pole and set the quickest laps in each Japan and China, albeit with Mercedes’ superior W17 powering his cost to the summit. His success calls into query whether or not Villeneuve spoke too quickly when he dismissed the Italian’s probabilities final yr. Villeneuve, who received the 1997 F1 title with Williams, steered Antonelli had bitten off greater than he may chew when he made his debut at 18. Nonetheless, one season of F1 expertise has proved ample following his very good begin to the 2026 marketing campaign.
“It’s an excessive amount of too quickly,” the Canadian instructed YaySweepstakes.com in March 2025. “Kimi Antonelli had a horrible season in Components 2. Is it as a result of he was already signed for F1 and the strain bought the higher of him, who is aware of?
“Or perhaps as a result of he didn’t like that type of automobile, and perhaps it’s higher for him to be in a Components 1 automobile. These are all query marks that we’ll discover out in a short time, very quickly.
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“He appears to be able to taking dangers and pushing the automobile, however then feeling the place that edge is, we don’t know but. Or how does he work on a full season creating and evolving the automobile?”
F1’s new laws look like taking part in into Mercedes’ fingers and look extremely well-suited to the W17’s design. Nonetheless, it additionally speaks volumes that Antonelli is now additionally getting the sting over associate Russell, who’s, in fact, driving the very same machine.
Antonelli has overtaken George Russell on the F1 summit (Picture: Getty)
Some query marks had been raised when Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff went all in on teenager Antonelli as a substitute for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. However regardless of his lack of expertise, that decision now seems to be paying dividends.
Villeneuve continued: “How will the stability be between him and Russell? Will they work hand in hand with related driving kinds or fully reverse driving kinds, which then makes it tough for the group to evolve the automobile in a route that pleases each drivers?
“The jury is out on Antonelli, however so many individuals within the media need him to be superb. I hope he’s, as a result of if not, it is going to be a really heavy load to hold for him. Plenty of strain on his shoulders.”
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Fortunately for the teenager, the previous seems true as Antonelli continues to rise to each problem set in entrance of him. And the strain of defending pole hasn’t fazed him in both of the final two races.
The primary break of the season means the F1 marketing campaign will not decide again up till the Miami Grand Prix takes place on Could 3. And followers the world over might be ready to see how Antonelli responds to the burden of management as soon as he is had time to correctly course of his achievements.
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