Three wins in a row. That's not something many predicted for Kimi Antonelli at the start of the season, but the young Italian is now making it look almost routine. Let's break down how he's doing it—and whether the doubters are finally running out of arguments.
In China, Antonelli had only George Russell to beat, and Russell was hampered by a qualifying issue. That victory wasn't handed to him—far from it—but when a Silver Arrows driver enjoys the best car on the grid while his teammate faces adversity, you'd expect him to seize the opportunity. And he did.
Japan was a different story. A timely safety car played right into Antonelli's hands after a poor start, turning what could have been a difficult race into a championship lead. He maximized the moment and drove convincingly in the final stint, but there was still enough for naysayers to latch onto. A pinch of luck, the best car, and some misfortune for Russell—it was easy to play down his back-to-back wins in Asia.
Miami, though? That's where the narrative shifted. McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull arrived with major upgrades, and suddenly it wasn't Russell who looked like Antonelli's main challenger. The Italian wasn't just better than his teammate—he was better by a wide margin, all weekend long. Remember when George was the pre-season title favorite? Anyone still holding that belief after Miami might need a rethink.
The race also revealed a crucial truth: rivals nearly erased Mercedes' pace advantage in one go with a single upgrade package. That surprised even the Silver Arrows. But Antonelli showed there's still enough speed in the W17 to fight for victory. The cushion is gone—at least until Mercedes brings its own upgrades in Canada—and given their strong history in Montreal, we might see them dominate again.
What Miami made clear, however, is that the 2026 season won't be a walk in the park for Mercedes. Toto Wolff needs his drivers to make the difference, and in Florida, it wasn't Russell stepping up. It was Antonelli, sleeping soundly after another statement win.