Günther Steiner has seen enough: after three consecutive wins for Kimi Antonelli, the former Haas team principal predicts that the young Italian will win the world championship. Beforehand, Mercedes teammate George Russell was considered the big favorite, but according to Steiner, the Brit will have to settle for the runner-up position: as long as Antonelli keeps a cool head, he has the best chance.
Although the season is still in its early stages – due to the unexpected spring break only four races have been held – Steiner has seen enough to make strong statements about the title fight. In The Red Flags podcast, he pointed to Antonelli’s strong start, who has taken the lead in the championship with wins in China, Japan, and Miami and has now built a twenty-point lead over Russell. The 19-year-old driver certainly benefits from an extremely dominant car, but according to Steiner, that is not the only reason for his sudden success.
Keeping a cool head
“It’s not just about the car, but also about his teammate, George Russell,” said the eccentric former team principal. “Russell is a very good driver, whom I have always rated highly. I expected him to take the championship this year. But it seems that Kimi (Antonelli, ed.) is slowly taking it from him – provided he keeps a cool head,” Steiner added. “For now, I think Russell will finish second, and not as champion.”
At the same time, Steiner warns that the battle is far from decided. “Antonelli still has to finish it,” he continued, “although it seems he doesn’t care about everything happening around him. What I am afraid of is that he might still experience problems and lose his calm, a bit like Oscar (Piastri, ed.) did last year.” The Australian led the standings for a long time in 2025, but due to a noticeable dip in form in the second half of the season, he ultimately finished third. “He had everything under control, but after the summer break, things happened that he didn’t like, and then he lost the title. It’s his championship to lose,” Steiner concluded, referring to Antonelli. “Although I also think we are only at the beginning of the season.”
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