(Motorsport-Total.com) – Antonelli’s third consecutive win at the Miami Grand Prix has attracted significant international attention. Media from several countries now see the 19-year-old Italian not just as a promising young talent, but as a real contender in the title fight.
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The Guardian: “All the traits of a champion”
The British newspaper The Guardian especially praises Antonelli’s composure during the race despite his difficult start from pole position. The Mercedes driver initially dropped back to third place but fought back to claim victory.
The Guardian writes: “The teenager is not even legally allowed to buy a drink in the United States yet, but after a thrilling race to the finish line, the Italian definitely deserved it.” It continues: “The day belonged entirely to Antonelli. While his wins in China and Japan were already impressive, this success was on an even higher level.”
The British daily also speaks of the “cool composure of a champion” and rates the success as “fully deserved.” Their conclusion is particularly clear: “This performance had all the traits of a champion.” At the same time, Mercedes is seen in a strong position – “at least with Antonelli at the wheel,” according to the assessment, while George Russell comes under pressure in the title fight.
Marca: “Spin ruins Verstappen’s race”
The Spanish Marca mainly reports on the early chaos around Verstappen. The world champion braked too late while attacking the lead, lost control, and spun.
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“Verstappen seemed to have everything under control to take the lead, but braked too late while trying to keep Leclerc behind and put a wheel on the wet part of turn 1. This led to a perfect 360-degree spin,” the newspaper writes.
The internal Mercedes situation is also addressed. Russell appears “somewhat lost compared to the rise of his teammate for some time now.” Antonelli, on the other hand, continues to grow and extends his lead.
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L’Equipe: “Antonelli is a very serious title contender”
The French L’Equipe describes the race start as chaotic, especially due to Verstappen’s spin, which caused unrest in the field. Antonelli cleverly avoided this chaos. The assessment of the championship situation is expressed particularly clearly: “Antonelli is no longer just the pleasant surprise of the season start, he is a very serious title contender.”
At the same time, the paper emphasizes that the Mercedes driver did not have an easy start to the race but managed it better than in previous races. An intense duel developed between Piastri and Leclerc for the remaining podium places, while Verstappen was not able to fight consistently at eye level.
La Gazzetta dello Sport: “The only ‘hurricane’ was Antonelli himself”
In Italy, the third consecutive win is received with particular enthusiasm. La Gazzetta dello Sport speaks of a possible turning point in the season: “Antonelli also won the Miami Grand Prix and there is no longer any doubt, the 19-year-old from Bologna is more than ever a candidate for the 2026 world championship,” it says there.
The performance of the Mercedes driver under difficult conditions is especially highlighted: “What Antonelli showed was a masterpiece in the style of the greats, a victory without the fastest car.” The newspaper also praises Antonelli’s dominance: “He was able to fend off the attacks of his rivals and control both decisive phases of the weekend, qualifying and race, like a champion.
“The race itself is also clearly assessed: “The only ‘hurricane’ was Antonelli himself, who defeated the world champion with a masterful performance.”
Consensus of the international press
Regardless of the respective national perspectives, there is consensus that Antonelli has definitively established himself in the top group of Formula 1. While The Guardian speaks of a “champion” and L’Equipe rates him as a “very serious title contender,” the Italian press already sees concrete title chances for 2026.
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