Kimi Antonelli Focuses on Race-by-Race Performance
Kimi Antonelli, the current leader of the Formula 1 championship, has made it clear that he is not thinking about a potential world title just yet. With at least 17 rounds remaining in the season, the young driver is concentrating on each race individually rather than looking ahead to the broader picture.
Antonelli has been in impressive form, winning the last four grand prix events consecutively. His most recent victory came in Montreal, where he engaged in a thrilling battle with his teammate George Russell before a power unit failure forced the British driver out of the race. This incident significantly widened Antonelli’s lead in the championship, increasing it from a virtual 11 points to 43 points—a gap larger than any seen in the 2025 season.
Despite this substantial lead, Antonelli remains cautious and focused on the immediate challenges ahead. When asked if he felt he had gained some breathing space, the 19-year-old responded: “Yeah, but to be fair, I’m not thinking about [the] championship. I’m just focusing on race by race. I think it’s still very early to talk about that.”
He added: “And of course, now I have this gap but that doesn’t mean that I can relax and just take it easier. Instead, I need to keep levelling up and keep raising the bar because it’s not going to be easy and competitors are getting closer, and also George is super quick. So definitely I’m just going to try to focus on myself and enjoy the driving and trying to really drive as fast as possible.”
Close Competition with George Russell
Antonelli’s caution is well-founded. Although he outqualified Russell four times in a row, the Briton regained the upper hand in both qualifying sessions in Canada, with a gap of 0.068 seconds in each session. Their performance levels were closely matched throughout the weekend, indicating that the competition is far from over.
Max Verstappen, who finished on the podium in Montreal, acknowledged Antonelli’s strong performance. He said: “I mean, he’s clearly doing a great job. And of course, a championship is long and they’re won by just being consistent, not making mistakes. But he knows that, so every weekend you just need to try and maximise, try and be better than your team-mate, and then I’m sure that he has a good chance. But long way to go. But what he’s doing right now is working really well.”
A Comparison with Past Champions
While Verstappen did not contend for the world championship until his seventh F1 season, Lewis Hamilton entered the fray as a rookie in 2007, battling for the title against his McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.
Hamilton, who sat next to Antonelli in the post-race press conference, viewed the youngster’s situation as more supportive. He said: “For me personally, 2007 was the one I was fighting for. It was a lot. I was a little bit older than you, I was 22. It feels like it was just different back then. I don’t think I had the same support system that he has, for example, today in a place that I worked at and worked in.”
He continued: “Toto did a great job of surrounding you with the right support, and I definitely didn’t feel that. The team were nice and everything, but there wasn’t the right elements around to support you, to help you stay stable and guide you. And it was pretty intense, especially in my first year. But I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Looking Ahead to Future Challenges
As the season progresses, Antonelli will face new challenges, but his approach of focusing on each race individually appears to be working. With a growing lead and a strong support system, the young driver is in a solid position to continue his impressive run.
