(Motorsport-Total.com) – Although Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli went into the summer break with a 50-point lead, Ralf Schumacher believes that the 2026 World Championship battle could become exciting again when Formula 1 returns from the break this weekend in Zandvoort.
Read more Opinion: Why Liam Lawson deserves the second Red Bull chance
“Mercedes now has to come with updates,” the expert says to Sky and explains: “McLaren is closer, Ferrari is capable of winning races. It will be tight. And Red Bull with Max Verstappen should never be underestimated either, even if the car is still a bit difficult.”
“Therefore, something has to happen at Mercedes after the summer break,” says Schumacher. Because although the Silver Arrows dominated at the start of the season and won the first six Grands Prix all in a row, there were “only” two wins in the following five races.
Ferrari also triumphed twice during this period, and one win went to McLaren. In addition, Schumacher believes that the just 19-year-old World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli could personally face difficulties in the second half of the season.
“What definitely makes Antonelli worthy of being world champion is that he can get a little more out of the car than, for example, George Russell at the moment,” the expert says and explains that it is “incredible” how well Antonelli has done so far.
Read more Günther Steiner: How the relationship with Gene Haas broke down
Schumacher: Antonelli must not “cramp up”
At the same time, he emphasizes in the podcast Backstage Boxengasse that the Italian now has to keep a “cool head” and must not lose his “lightness.” And that is not so easy for such a young driver, warns Schumacher.
“I believe there will be a phase again where Kimi will suddenly cramp up,” he says and reveals: “Every athlete goes through that.” This applies especially to Antonelli because his rise in Formula 1 happened “extremely fast.”
Mid-season reports: The best Formula 1 drivers at the summer break
The Italian must therefore be careful, says Schumacher, according to whom “management is also called for here,” meaning Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff and co. “Everyone wants something from him. Everyone is pulling at him now,” Schumacher says with regard to Antonelli’s growing popularity.
Therefore, the team now has to “protect him a bit,” says the expert. Antonelli is only in his second Formula 1 season in 2026. His closest pursuer in the World Championship is currently Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton, 50 points behind, and teammate George Russell is already 59 points behind in third place.
Read more Lando Norris: I’m better than 2025, but the results don’t show it