Rating 7 F1 2026 title contenders

Filip Cleeren: Selling Antonelli now appears like a masterstroke

If the skin world posed questions on Mercedes’ resolution to advertise Kimi Antonelli to an F1 seat prematurely, then abruptly that transfer appears like a masterstroke now.

Having barely completed highschool, Antonelli went by inevitable ups and loads of downs in his maiden yr. However with all that have within the financial institution, which features a maiden podium in Canada, grueling dwelling weekends in Imola and Monza and a powerful late rally, the 19-year-old Italian appears and sounds markedly extra assured on the eve of his sophomore marketing campaign. 

His 2025 debut shall be invaluable expertise when Mercedes really has one thing to combat for past the odd race win.

Properly, would you take a look at that. If pre-season testing is one thing to go by, that might be the scenario Mercedes finds itself in because it goals to begin the brand new rules period on the entrance foot. Alongside a powerful begin for the W17, Mercedes’ energy unit appears like it’s residing as much as expectations of an early frontrunner.

So, what does a profitable season for Antonelli appear to be? Given his youthful inexperience, Antonelli continues to be sixth on our record of title contenders – and he’s down on factors in comparison with his friends on each expertise and racecraft. He’s additionally dealing with an uphill battle to get the measure of his way more skilled team-mate George Russell, who has simply come off a career-best season and has been determined for a championship-winning automobile. However given the chance of random occasions firstly of a brand new guidelines cycle, if the automobile permits it Antonelli might be a very good wager to open his account of grand prix wins in 2026.

Ronald Vording: “A matter of expertise”

With Antonelli, it’s primarily a matter of expertise. It was already clear within the junior classes that the uncooked expertise was there – and his F1 debut season has solely confirmed that impression. With the dash pole in Miami and his first podium in Canada, he has supplied clear glimpses of his potential and what’s to return.
 
Now it’s as much as the younger Italian to change into extra constant as he positive aspects expertise, primarily following the identical trajectory Oscar Piastri has gone by over the previous few years.
 
These points are mirrored within the rankings. Of all of the classes, pure tempo needs to be rated the best for my part, though in comparison with some colleagues I’ll have been barely conservative. The opposite two classes go away room for enchancment as Antonelli builds extra F1 expertise.
 
That applies to each consistency and racecraft. As for the latter, there have been just a few errors final yr – for instance with Max Verstappen in Austria – however he has definitely proven his potential with some sensible moments as properly. All of those values are prone to rise considerably within the coming years, as he seems to have all of the substances to change into one among F1’s future stars.

Stuart Codling: Antonelli shall be nearer to Russell this yr

George Russell, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photograph by: Mercedes AMG

Italy has been ready 73 years for a home-grown world champion. I really feel it could be ready a bit longer – however not a lot. Kimi Antonelli is constructing properly: he is thrilling to look at, fast on his day, and in addition reveals promising indicators by way of racecraft. Whether or not he is able to tackle a correct world championship marketing campaign is one other matter, although.

He is clearly nonetheless studying the right way to get his head into the precise place throughout a grand prix weekend – all these distractions at dwelling occasions proved pricey, although he realized from them. It is also fairly difficult to correctly assess the place he’s by way of qualifying and race performances, since a complete block of races final season had been misplaced to the rear suspension ‘improve’ which Merc subsequently consigned to the bin.

In the end Russell scored double the variety of factors Antonelli returned final season, and is demonstrably the extra mature package deal. It is seemingly Kimi shall be nearer to his team-mate this yr, however nonetheless no cigar.

Learn extra about Kimi Antonelli and his street to F1 by his career in pictures.

How our score system works

To set the drivers aside, we’ve got taken inspiration from the official F1 sport to attribute scores in 4 completely different classes, out of a most of 100.

• Expertise (EXP): An goal rating merely primarily based on the motive force’s expertise stage by complete race begins
• Racecraft (RAC): The motive force’s capacity to race wheel to wheel, both to defend a place or pull off a decisive overtake, with out touchdown themselves in hassle with the stewards
• Consistency (CON): The motive force’s capacity to maintain clear, keep away from unforced errors whereas being constantly fast in a race
• Tempo (PAC): Displays a driver’s tempo over one lap, largely in relation to their team-mate
• General Ranking (OVR): The 4 above classes shall be mixed into an total score, weighted in direction of Tempo.

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– The Motorsport.com Group