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Kimi Antonelli will begin his second Formula 1 campaign in 2026, and Ralf Schumacher believes he’s the one to beat for the championship.
Antonelli was expected to make an immediate impact given his outstanding junior career, and the added pressure of taking over from Lewis Hamilton only heightened those expectations.
Antonelli made a promising start, finishing fourth after starting 16th on debut in Australia. He also became the youngest driver to lead a Grand Prix in Japan and took pole position for the Sprint race in Miami. But as the season moved into Europe, his form began to dip.
The Italian had trouble finding consistency, with reliability issues and rookie mistakes proving costly. Though he did claim his first podium in Canada, he managed points finishes in just three races between Imola and Monza.
Antonelli picked up another podium late in the year at Brazil. By season’s end, he ranked seventh overall, and Schumacher thinks the new rules coming into play could suit him well.
Ralf Schumacher backs Kimi Antonelli to take the 2026 title in his second season
Kimi Antonelli is heading into his second Formula 1 campaign, and Ralf Schumacher believes he’s got a genuine shot at the title.
The Italian had a difficult rookie year with Mercedes in 2025. Expectations were high, given his incredible junior record and that he was stepping in for seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
Antonelli made a strong start, finishing fourth from P16 on debut in Australia, then becoming the youngest Grand Prix leader in Japan and the youngest polesitter for a Sprint race in Miami. But things started to unravel once the calendar reached Europe.
The 19-year-old struggled with consistency, as reliability issues and rookie mistakes cost him points. Even though he managed his first podium in Canada, Antonelli went without points in all but three races between Imola and Monza.
He did have better results later on, including another podium finish in Brazil. He ended up seventh overall in the championship, but with new regulations coming into play for 2026, there’s hope that Antonelli can take another step forward, and Schumacher thinks he will.
Mercedes still seen as favourites despite early reliability concerns
There’s plenty of anticipation around Mercedes this year. Many believe they’ve got the quickest power unit on the grid, and pre-season testing seems to back that up. Practice data showed their starts were consistently strong.
But reliability is still an issue. Antonelli had a ‘serious’ engine failure during testing in Bahrain. Despite that setback, it hasn’t changed their status as early favourites heading into the season.
Schumacher spoke about it on Backstage Boxengasse: “That’s like reading a crystal ball now. But I would also say that Mercedes (has) two top drivers.
“Kimi Antonelli, who has had great development, has the best chance at the moment, no question, because the car was strong and fast from the start, and when you’re out there, you know why.
“And the same goes for Leclerc, Ferrari. Yes, and Max Verstappen, who is in a class of his own anyway, you just have to admit that. And we’ll see how strong the combination is once the fuel is out everywhere.”
Could Kimi Antonelli really challenge for the 2026 F1 title?
Competing for a world championship in just his second season is no small task, and while Antonelli has the talent, there’s still plenty of room to grow. The 2025 campaign exposed areas he needs to tighten up before he can truly mount a title challenge.
As mentioned, rookie errors were frequent last year, and cutting those out will be crucial if he wants to contend seriously. He also faces the challenge of adapting to new regulations, all while dealing with a highly competitive field.
Antonelli has already acknowledged that going up against Russell will be tough this year, describing him as one of the benchmarks in 2026. A lot of people are already backing the Briton as the early favourite for the championship.
Guenther Steiner believes Antonelli might still be a bit too young to compete at that level. At 19, he’s still learning his way around Formula One and may need more time before he’s ready to take on a full title push.
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