Kimi Antonelli holds a 20-point lead in the drivers’ standings, but is it now his championship to lose?
Former Haas F1 Team team principal Guenther Steiner has expressed concern about Kimi Antonelli’s chances of winning the championship, fearing he could encounter similar setbacks to those that hindered Oscar Piastri last season. Antonelli has been performing impressively in his second season, leading the drivers’ standings by 20 points ahead of George Russell after securing three consecutive victories. The 19-year-old has been growing in confidence quickly since the Chinese Grand Prix and demonstrated his superiority over Russell solely based on pace in the recent Miami race. Bookmakers have started favoring Antonelli for the championship, despite initially considering Russell the frontrunner. Steiner believes the momentum is on Antonelli’s side compared to his more experienced teammate, Russell, who now faces the challenge of ending the Italian’s dominant streak. While Steiner acknowledges that Antonelli appears unfazed by challenges, he remains cautious, recalling Piastri’s title hopes getting derailed last year by unexpected difficulties. Asked about the possibility of Antonelli losing the title, Steiner emphasized that the season is still in its early stages and highlighted the need for Antonelli to continue winning races in order to secure the championship.
