– Formula 1 leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli emphasizes that despite his growing lead in the overall standings, he has not yet given any thought to a potential Formula 1 World Championship title – even though at least 17 race weekends are still on the schedule.
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Antonelli has recently won four Grands Prix in a row. He celebrated his latest triumph in Montreal after a breathtaking duel with his Mercedes teammate George Russell, until a power unit failure prematurely ended the Briton’s race.
As a result of this retirement, Antonelli’s championship lead grew from a virtual eleven points – which Russell would have held while leading – to a whopping 43 points. This is a larger gap than fans have seen at any point during the entire 2025 season.
Way too early to think about the title
When asked if he now felt some breathing room, the 19-year-old downplayed it: “Yes, but to be honest, I am not thinking about the World Championship at all. I am just focusing race by race. I think it is way too early to talk about it.”
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“And of course I have this lead now, but that doesn’t mean I can relax and take it easy. On the contrary: I have to keep improving and keep raising the bar. It won’t be easy, the competition is getting closer and George is also super fast. So I will definitely try to focus only on myself, enjoy driving, and get the car moving as fast as possible.”
Hamilton draws comparison to 2007: “Toto is doing a great job”
Antonelli has every reason to be cautious. After beating Russell four times in a row in qualifying, his older teammate regained the upper hand in both sessions in Canada – curiously, the margin was exactly 0.068 seconds both times. Also in the race, the duo was evenly matched throughout the weekend. The Italian Formula 1 youngster is likely on the right track with his approach.
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“I mean, he is obviously doing a great job,” praises Max Verstappen, who also stood on the podium in Montreal. “And of course, a World Championship lasts a long time. You win it by being consistent and making no mistakes. But he knows that himself.”
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“You just have to try to get the maximum out of every weekend and be faster than your teammate. Then I am sure he has a good chance. But it is still a long way to go. What he is showing at the moment is working extremely well.”
Hamilton looks back
While Verstappen was only able to fight for the championship in his seventh Formula 1 season, Lewis Hamilton was thrown in at the deep end in 2007. As a rookie, he battled at McLaren with his teammate Fernando Alonso and Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen for the crown.
The seven-time world champion, who sat right next to Antonelli at the post-race press conference, assesses the youngster’s situation as much healthier: “For me personally, 2007 was the year I fought. That was a lot to handle.”
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“I was a bit older than you, I was 22. Back then it just felt different. I don’t think I had the same support system that he has today, for example, in the place where I worked back then.”
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“Toto [Wolff] has done a great job surrounding you with the right support, and I definitely didn’t feel that way back then. The team was nice and all, but the right elements that support you, give you stability, and guide you were missing. It was damn intense, especially in my first year. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
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