‘Unfazed’ Antonelli warned title pressure could take its toll despite impressive form

Seemingly unfazed by the pressure of leading the championship, Kimi Antonelli has been warned it could take its toll as the season progresses.

Antonelli has been the breakout star of the F1 2026 season, with the Italian closing in on a first world title after claiming his eighth Grand Prix win.

The Mercedes driver extended his lead over his teammate George Russell to 81 points, but with a maximum of 233 points in play, the title fight is by no means decided.

One DNF for Antonelli, whether through a crash or a reliability failure, such as his hydraulic issue that cut short his running in Thursday’s opening practice in Baku, could open the door for Russell.

Although that would potentially only be a 25-point swing, it would ramp up the pressure on Antonelli.

And that, says three-time W-Series winner Jamie Chadwick, could take a toll on the 20-year-old.

“I think there’s always pressure,” Chadwick told Sky Sports in Azerbaijan.

“At the start of the year when you’re talking about being the championship favourite – that weight was on George’s shoulders more – to then throughout the year ‘can you hold it?’

“I think that is something Kimi has dealt with very well this year.

“He doesn’t seem to be so fazed about the pressure.

“I think that has helped him as he is driving free still. He is able to be confident and carry the momentum that he has got from that.

“At some point it’s going to come down to the finish point and if he continues the way he is, of course, he’s going to walk away with it – but there are still many races to go.

“If it gets right down to the wire, that’s where pressure will ramp up.”

F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between teammates

F1 2026: Head-to-head race statistics between teammates

However, former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer doesn’t believe Antonelli would crack.

He cited Antonelli’s improvement from last season, when he went through a mid-year slump, to this year, where he has won four Grands Prix since the European season began in Monaco, as why he doesn’t foresee it happening.

“Zero sign. Absolutely zero sign,” he told the F1 Nation podcast when asked if there were any signs that Antonelli was feeling pressure. “He’s not racing like he’s fighting for a championship.

“Even when you look at the way that he’s fighting with Lando at the start of the [Spanish Grand Prix], he’s still bombing it over those chicanes, trying to win the race, not trying to settle in.”

“It’s kind of poetic, isn’t it?” he continued. “The European summer last year left him on the cusp of potentially losing his seat.

“Fast forward 12 months and the European summer has pretty much left him on the cusp of being a champion. You can’t have too big a paradox for him. It’s been unbelievable.

“He’s driving with such confidence. He’s just showcasing his amazing talent now. And the consistency of it once again is what continues to impress.”

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