Kimi Antonelli only 15th overall in 2026 F1 ratings leaves fans baffled

EA determines each driver's rating in its official F1 video game using four key categories: Experience (EXP), which reflects the number of races a driver has contested throughout their career; Racecraft (RAC), which measures their ability to fight through the field and gain positions; Awareness (AWA), which evaluates how effectively they avoid incidents and penalties; and Pace (PAC), a metric based on how closely a driver matches the fastest race and qualifying lap times over a race weekend. These individual scores are then combined to produce the Overall Rating (RTG), with pace carrying the greatest influence in the final calculation.

Antonelli's overall rating is heavily affected by his scores in the Experience and Awareness categories, where he received just 70 and 75 points respectively. Those relatively low marks significantly drag down his final RTG score, despite his outstanding performances and championship-leading form this season. What makes the ranking even more surprising is that Antonelli finds himself behind drivers such as Esteban Ocon and Valtteri Bottas, neither of whom has enjoyed a particularly strong start to the season compared to their respective teammates.

At the top of the rankings remains Max Verstappen, who retains the highest overall rating in the game at 95 despite no longer being the reigning world champion after his four-year title streak came to an end. Just one point behind sits current world champion Lando Norris on 94, while George Russell follows closely in third with a rating of 93 after an impressive campaign last season. Completing the top five are the two Ferrari drivers, with Charles Leclerc rated at 92 and Lewis Hamilton at 91. Below is the full ranking.

Riccardo Patrese believes a key factor behind Antonelli's rapid rise this season has been a noticeable change in attitude. The former Formula 1 driver feels the young Italian has developed the confidence and self-belief often seen in the sport's most successful champions, pointing to figures such as Verstappen, Schumacher and Senna as examples of drivers who shared a similar mentality.

While Patrese acknowledged that the championship battle remains wide open, with reliability and future car developments likely to play a major role, he admitted he is particularly impressed by Antonelli's current form. He highlighted McLaren's recent progress and Norris' strong performances as potential threats, but maintained that if he had to pick one driver to back for the title at this stage of the season, his money would be on Antonelli.