Antonelli is looking more and more like Verstappen in every respect

Starting from P19 and still winning the Grand Prix. It’s an image that in recent years was intertwined with Max Verstappen. Even when the Dutchman started at the back of the grid while his teammate was on pole, Verstappen remained unfazed and still found a way to win. That alone made Kimi Antonelli’s victory so reminiscent of Verstappen.

The ease with which Antonelli carved through the field was remarkable. In no time he was with the frontrunners. Of course, he was helped to some extent by the red flag and restart, but no one will doubt that Antonelli would have won the Italian GP regardless.

Antonelli’s triumph was especially painful for George Russell. At the end of 2025, the Brit said he was ready for the title, but that has proven far from true. Russell is simply no match for Antonelli. Russell was humbled at Monza in a way usually reserved for recognised number-twos like Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. A Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen would simply never have suffered what happened to Russell.

It says something about Russell, but it says much more about Antonelli. In his second year in F1, still only 19 years old, he is dismantling a teammate who was until recently seen as a potential world champion. It calls to mind Daniel Ricciardo, who ultimately left Red Bull when he saw how good Verstappen could become.

For Russell, it’s too late for that. After holding the upper hand over Antonelli for much of 2025, he is being completely outperformed by Kimi in 2026. Antonelli is especially stronger on race day. A comparison of their race pace across the 13 Grands Prix held so far shows just how much stronger Antonelli has been this season.

The Belgian GP is excluded due to Russell’s early retirement, but in the other 12 GPs Antonelli was quicker in race pace 10 times compared to his teammate. Only in China and Austria could Russell post a better pace than his teammate, and in both cases by less than a tenth. Across the 12 GPs, Antonelli is on average 0.380s faster than Russell.

In that respect, in his second year Antonelli is best compared with Verstappen or Fernando Alonso. Whereas Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel entered F1 as extreme one-lap talents, Verstappen’s gift was clear from day one: making the difference in the race. Antonelli has that talent too.

Just like with Verstappen, Antonelli’s biggest area for improvement is on Saturdays. Verstappen also needed a few years alongside Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo before he began consistently dominating his teammates in both qualifying and races from 2018 onwards. Antonelli still has the most to fear from Russell over a single lap.

Antonelli leads the qualifying head-to-head, but the margin is slim: 7-6. The Italian has been faster more often so far, and that shows up in the average gap too. His average advantage stands at just 0.093 seconds, considerably smaller than the gap he produces on Sundays.

Still, there are two major differences to note between Antonelli and Verstappen. The most obvious is of course that Verstappen has more wins and titles to his name and has been displaying this level for years. Antonelli must first prove he can even maintain this level over the course of an entire year.

The biggest difference lies elsewhere. Max Verstappen’s wheel-to-wheel racing is unmatched. Even at Monza, Verstappen made the difference again with outstanding attacking and defensive moves. That unique talent—by which Verstappen often puts himself in positions no one else can reach—is something Antonelli does not (yet) have.

You could even say Antonelli’s wheel-to-wheel racing can be a bit scruffy at times. He also ran off the track while duelling with Russell, in a way you will rarely see from Verstappen. Charles Leclerc also criticised Antonelli earlier this season for his wheel-to-wheel qualities. However, Antonelli is visibly improving.

Antonelli is a unique talent—that much is now clear. In his racecraft, the Italian is imperious and bears a resemblance to Verstappen. The first title, in only his second year in F1, seems almost a formality. It appears Verstappen finally has a successor—someone who, if they were in equal cars, could make life very difficult for him.