Andrea Kimi Antonelli currently leads the drivers’ championship with 72 WDC points and two Grand Prix wins. The young Mercedes driver is now seen as a title contender for the first time in his career. However, Kimi Antonelli does not yet feel any pressure and comes with a warning to his rivals: ‘I feel stronger than last year’.
Read more Silverstone makes offer for second F1 race in 2026: ‘Can act quickly’
With two wins already this season, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is enjoying a flying start to the season. The Italian is now even the youngest championship leader ever, while last year he made his debut at Mercedes. At the moment, the title fight still seems to be between Kimi Antonelli and his teammate George Russell, and the younger driver therefore has a simple goal for the upcoming GP Miami.
“The goal is, starting from Miami, to get back to the level we were at in Japan, or even come back stronger than then,” Kimi Antonelli tells various media. “Overall, I feel stronger. I have more grip on the situation. The fact that I drove all the circuits and experienced race weekends last year certainly helps this year so far. The experience from last year definitely plays a huge role this year so far.”
Read more Bearman felt like a ‘guinea pig’ after heavy crash at Suzuka: ‘Not happy about it’
No pressure
In addition, the young driver does not feel the pressure of a possible title fight. “I don’t feel any extra pressure,” emphasizes the Mercedes driver. “I know that people’s expectations are higher now, because of course I just had two wins and a strong start to the season. But in the end, I keep focusing on the process, on what I have to do. I don’t want to put too much emphasis on the expectations or the end result. I just try to keep my feet on the ground and focus on the ultimate goal and how I can achieve it.”
Read more Max Verstappen misses important advantage at 24 Hours of Nürburgring
Read everything about the GP Miami here
