Kimi Antonelli Plans New Approach for F1 2026 at Mercedes

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Kimi Antonelli has outlined how he intends to adjust his approach ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season, as he prepares to measure himself against what he describes as a clear benchmark within Mercedes.

Antonelli replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025 and made an immediate impression. He became the youngest driver to lead a grand prix and set a fastest lap, both achieved at the Japanese Grand Prix, before securing Sprint pole position in Miami and claiming his first podium finish in Canada.

However, the Italian endured a difficult European stretch, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff describing Antonelli’s performance at the Italian Grand Prix as underwhelming. His form improved significantly towards the end of the season, where he emerged as the stronger of the two Mercedes drivers in several races.

Antonelli’s standout performances included a second place finish in Brazil, where he resisted late pressure from Max Verstappen, and a remarkable recovery drive in Las Vegas from 17th on the grid to finish third. He ultimately ended the season just six points behind Hamilton in the final standings.

With Mercedes widely expected to be a title contender in 2026, Antonelli is now preparing for a direct internal challenge against George Russell, who is regarded as one of the leading favourites for the drivers’ championship.

“That is absolutely the goal. The goal is to win and eventually fight for the world championship,” Antonelli said, speaking to media including RacingNews365.
“That is my target, and also to become one of the best. George is very, very strong and definitely ready to fight for a championship. He is one of the benchmarks on the grid.”

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“It is going to be quite fun competing with him,” he added.
“On the other side, experience still counts. How you approach every race weekend, experience still plays a big role.”

Antonelli explained that while his driving level is already competitive, his focus for 2026 will be on refining preparation and decision making throughout the season.

“This year I will have a different approach at times,” he said.
“I still need to learn quite a bit, so on the experience side there will be changes, but on the driving side I think we are all on the same level. It is going to be a big opportunity.”

The young Italian revealed that the off season has given him time to analyse his 2025 campaign in detail, identifying both strengths and weaknesses in his preparation.

“I had time to reflect on last season to understand which weekends went well and why, and which ones went badly and why,” Antonelli explained.
“I looked back at my preparation to understand what worked best for me and what did not.”

“I will keep the things that helped, but I will also change some approaches to help me prepare better and feel more comfortable when racing,” he concluded.

As Mercedes enters 2026 with high expectations, Antonelli’s development will be under close scrutiny. Facing a benchmark like George Russell, the season ahead is set to be a defining test of whether his revised approach can translate early promise into a sustained title challenge.