Kimi Antonelli is not resting on his laurels after leaving Montreal with a 43-point gap over Mercedes teammate George Russell in the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship.
Antonelli has won four races in a row so far this season after winning the Canadian Grand Prix last Sunday as Russell retired due to power unit problems on his Mercedes W17.
Out of nowhere, and despite being inexperienced compared to Russell, Antonelli, in his second season in the top flight, has emerged as a Title favorite.
While Russell was tipped to fight for and win the F1 Championship in 2026, his latest misfortune in Canada has meant that Antonelli is now a genuine contender, which is undeniable despite all the efforts from Toto Wolff to try and downplay his protégé's chances of winning a maiden F1 crown this season.
However, Antonelli seems to have a great support system around him as he keeps saying the right things, keeping his feet on the ground, and rubbishing any Title talks.
"I'm not thinking about the championship," he said in Montreal. "I think it's still very, very early to talk about that. I'm just focusing on race by race."
And while the gap in the F1 Drivers' Championship grew after the Canadian Grand Prix, Antonelli insists the situation can change quickly, wary of a comeback from Russell while also pointing out the threat of rivals catching up with Mercedes.
"The [points] gap doesn't mean that I can relax and just take it easier," he said. "Instead, I need to keep raising the bar because it's not going to be easy. Competitors are getting closer.
"Also, George is super, super quick. So definitely I'm just going to focus on myself, enjoy the driving, and try to drive as fast as possible," the 19-year-old concluded. (Source: Sky Sports F1)
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