(Motorsport-Total.com) – Measured by the raw numbers, Kimi Antonelli was the best driver so far in the 2026 Formula 1 season. By the summer break, the Mercedes driver had won six Grand Prix races, significantly more than any other driver. He also leads the championship with a solid 50-point lead over Lewis Hamilton.
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When asked if he himself also believed that he was the best driver on the grid so far, the 19-year-old replied: “That’s hard to say. I think I was among the best, but I wouldn’t claim that I was the best driver on the grid.”
“Looking back, I think we were the ones who made the fewest mistakes,” said Antonelli, who sees this as the key to his championship lead. Although he missed out on points twice so far due to failures in Barcelona and Silverstone.
In the other nine races, Antonelli always finished on the podium. “Of course, we also had a really strong car,” he admits. “But I think, in terms of race execution, we did an excellent job together with the team,” he emphasizes.
“That allowed us to put ourselves in a good starting position. In this respect, we did really well in the first half,” explains Antonelli, who could become the youngest world champion in the history of Formula 1 in 2026.
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Antonelli: No fear of the summer break
That record still belongs to Sebastian Vettel, who was “already” 23 years old in 2010. Antonelli would be just 20 if he triumphs this year. But is the Mercedes driver afraid that the summer break might throw him off rhythm after a strong first half of the season?
“I feel that this break is necessary because it has been full throttle for almost eight months now,” explains Antonelli. He also recalls that there was already a forced one-month break this season between the races in Japan at the end of March and Miami at the beginning of May.
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Back then, he also feared that the April break might stop his momentum after two wins in China and Japan. But instead, he extended his winning streak to five consecutive victories in Miami, Canada, and Monaco.
Antonelli’s pursuers should therefore not count on a slump after the summer break.
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