Ex-F1 team boss names Mercedes driver to be big protagonist of '26 season

The 78-year-old, in his analyses of the campaign the Mercedes driver has had, described it as a positive season. Minardi also highlighted the growth Antonelli has experienced in relation to his teammate and concluded by predicting that he expects the 19-year-old to be a key player next season.

"At a good point. The boy had a very positive season. He's undergoing a maturation process. He's also grown in relation to a teammate like [George] Russell, who is one of the strongest drivers around. I think Kimi will be a major player in 2026,” Minardi said via Quotidiano Sportivo.

Antonelli’s first Formula 1 season was a rollercoaster. The Italian, who kicked off the campaign strongly with the Mercedes team, endured a challenging mid-season.

However, Antonelli came back stronger to secure two podium finishes during the final stretch of the campaign.

Antonelli has expressed optimism about his prospects for the 2026 season. The 19-year-old detailed how impressed he was with the Mercedes team car for the next campaign and highlighted the transformation of the car in the wind tunnel.

The young Italian concluded by expressing optimism about challenging for race victories and possibly the drivers’ title when the new season commences.

With the post-2025 season finale action and reaction continuing, our paddock update is the place to be.

Follow our channels on YouTube and Spotify to stay up to date with all the happenings as they unfold following the final Grand Prix of the campaign.

Check out the latest episode of our paddock update here 👇