Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes driver, faces the final stretch of the 2026 season with an 81-point lead over his teammate George Russell. However, former world champion Nico Rosberg has warned that Antonelli may increasingly feel nervous as competition intensifies, especially if McLaren and Ferrari make improvements that bring him into the title fight.
Rosberg, who won the championship in 2016, referred to the pressures he experienced in the closing stages of his own competition. The driver highlighted that the possibility of a performance drop from Antonelli could provoke an anxious reaction in the face of the growing competition.
After securing a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, Antonelli admitted that his win had not been entirely satisfying, and that, without a favorable virtual safety car, Lando Norris from McLaren could have won.
With the next appointment of the season, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, scheduled from September 24 to 26, expectations for Antonelli are rising. The driver will have to manage not only his speed on the track but also the strong pressure that comes with leading the championship.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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