The moment Antonelli realised he had transformed as an F1 driver
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli says he felt a mental shift the moment he first drove this year's car, a change that has powered his dominant run to the 2026 world championship lead.
Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Italian who is dominating this year's Formula 1 world championship in only his second season, has told BBC Sport when he first sensed he had changed as a driver.
After a difficult rookie season left expectations of him low heading into 2026, Antonelli says the turning point came in January, during a wet test session at Silverstone with this year's Mercedes. He felt calmer, more mature and less tense than during his rookie year, when he says he drove too cautiously and could not extract his full potential.
A second moment of realisation came at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, where despite a heavy practice crash, he finished just under three seconds behind team-mate George Russell.
Haunted by Monza
Antonelli says his rookie season was overshadowed by a heavy crash during his first practice outing for Mercedes at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, one day after being confirmed as Lewis Hamilton's replacement. The memory left him afraid of making mistakes throughout last season. This year, after an intense pre-season programme and work with a mental coach, he says he has been able to move past it.
After 14 races, Antonelli leads Russell by 81 points, putting him on course to become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, barring dramatic misfortune.
He credits his first race win and first pole position this year with lifting a significant weight off his shoulders. He also describes a lesson learned after overdriving in qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix following his dominant Monaco win — a mistake he avoided repeating after his victory from 19th on the grid at his home race in Monza.
Antonelli acknowledges that success has brought major changes to his life, including the need to be more careful about his personal safety amid growing exposure. Asked about the approaching title, he says he has thought about it, but prefers to focus on finishing the job as soon as possible rather than dwelling on the outcome.
