The Mercedes driver, Kimi Antonelli, is currently in a privileged position in the 2026 Formula One World Championship competition, with an 81-point lead over his teammate George Russell. However, former champion Nico Rosberg has warned that Antonelli could enter a phase of distress if updates from rival teams, such as McLaren and Ferrari, begin to close the gap with the other competitors.
Antonelli achieved a significant victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, a race marked by a key moment with a virtual safety car that played in his favor. Despite his victory, the driver confessed that it was not the result he would have wanted if he had secured the first position without external aids, highlighting that without the intervention of the safety car, Lando Norris would likely have won.
Rosberg discussed the similarities with his own experience during his title fight in 2016, warning that one negative scenario would be Antonelli falling into the chasing group. “The most concerning scenario is if McLaren starts moving up and Ferrari also improves,” he said. Rosberg recalled how he suffered at the end of his season, with each race going up and down in the standings.
The next championship test, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, will take place from September 24 to 26, and all eyes will be on how Antonelli manages the pressure as the season progresses.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
