Kimi Antonelli’s victory at the Spanish Grand Prix has sparked debate in the Formula 1 community. According to former IndyCar driver and current F1 TV analyst James Hinchcliffe, the Italian will feel a «bite» after this triumph, as he knows that Lando Norris, driver for McLaren, had a faster car during the race.
Antonelli, who currently leads the championship, secured his *eighth victory* of the 2026 season at the Madring circuit, extending his lead to 81 points over his teammate George Russell. This success was made possible thanks to a well-executed strategy with the *virtual safety car* at the right moment.
Norris, who had started from pole position, had built a good gap over his pursuers during the early moments of the race. However, luck changed when the safety car was activated just after Norris passed the pit entrance, allowing Antonelli to make a much more effective pitstop. When Norris entered the pits, the safety car had already ended, suffering a stop that turned out to be four seconds longer.
Despite Antonelli’s standout performance, Hinchcliffe believes that the speed shown by the McLaren team will leave a bitter taste for the young Italian driver. “I don’t want to say it’s better to be lucky than good, but sometimes it’s good to be both. We know Antonelli is very good, but he’s also had some luck,” said Hinchcliffe during the post-race broadcast.
The comment underlines the nature of competition in motorsport, where the perception of performance and the ability to be the best makes the difference, regardless of the final results. «Even when you win and you know someone was faster than you, there’s always a feeling of discontent. You want to be the best every day, and I don’t think Antonelli has been,” concluded Hinchcliffe.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
