Formula 1 was supposed to be a fight between established champions and the next generation.
Instead, 20-year-old Kimi Antonelli has turned the 2026 championship into something else entirely.
After the Spanish Grand Prix, Antonelli had already collected eight Grand Prix victories and built an 81-point lead in the Drivers’ Championship.
Then came Monza.
Starting from 19th on the grid, Antonelli won the Italian Grand Prix in front of his home crowd.
He passed his Mercedes teammate George Russell with four laps remaining to complete one of the most dramatic victories of the season.
And suddenly the bigger question is no longer whether Antonelli belongs at the front.
It is whether anyone can stop Mercedes.
Why It Matters
Mercedes is not simply winning races.
It is building a championship advantage.
After the Spanish Grand Prix, Mercedes had 503 constructors’ points, compared with:
- Ferrari: 358
- McLaren: 306
- Red Bull: 230
That gives Mercedes a 145-point advantage over Ferrari, while Ferrari is only 52 points ahead of McLaren.
The numbers show two separate stories.
Mercedes is pulling away.
Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull are fighting over what is left behind.
The Details
Antonelli’s Spanish Grand Prix victory was his eighth of the season.
He beat Max Verstappen and Lando Norris after a Virtual Safety Car allowed Mercedes to gain strategically while Norris lost time through a slower pit stop.
Antonelli’s advantage in the Drivers’ Championship reached 81 points after the race.
But Monza made the story even bigger.
From P19 to P1
Antonelli started the Italian Grand Prix from 19th after taking additional power-unit components.
By the end of the race, he had won.
He climbed through the field, used a mid-race Virtual Safety Car to change tyres and eventually caught Russell.
With four laps remaining, Antonelli passed his teammate and took the victory.
The significance goes beyond the 25 championship points.
A driver starting 19th has very little margin for error.
He needs pace.
He needs overtaking ability.
He needs tyre management.
And he needs the team to execute the strategy correctly.
Antonelli delivered all four.
Mercedes Has Something the Others Don’t
The most important part of Mercedes’ 2026 season is not necessarily one particular race.
It is consistency.
The team has two drivers capable of scoring heavily.
Russell has remained near the front while Antonelli has become the team’s championship leader.
That creates a huge constructors’ advantage.
A team can survive one driver having a bad weekend.
It is much harder for rivals to close a championship gap when both Mercedes cars are consistently scoring.
Ferrari’s Problem
Ferrari’s position is particularly interesting.
The team has 358 points, putting it second in the constructors’ championship after Spain.
But McLaren has 306.
That means Ferrari’s cushion is only 52 points.
The gap to Mercedes, however, is 145 points.
So Ferrari is simultaneously close to losing second place and far away from fighting for first.
That is a dangerous position.
It means Ferrari’s immediate battle is no longer simply about catching Mercedes.
It is about protecting second.
McLaren Is the Bigger Threat
McLaren’s 306 points put it only 52 behind Ferrari.
That matters because McLaren has shown the ability to develop its car rapidly.
The team began the season behind expectations but introduced significant upgrades and continued developing the package after the summer break.
That development race is now becoming one of the most important stories of the season.
Ferrari cannot afford to focus entirely on Mercedes.
If McLaren continues closing the gap, Ferrari could find itself fighting for second rather than challenging for the championship lead.
And What About Red Bull?
Red Bull has 230 points after Spain.
That puts it 128 points behind Ferrari.
Unlike McLaren, Red Bull is not currently closing the constructors’ gap to Ferrari at the same rate.
But Red Bull remains dangerous because of Max Verstappen.
Verstappen finished second in Spain and third at Monza.
A driver of his calibre can still turn individual weekends into major championship swings.
The question is whether Red Bull can give him enough car performance consistently.
The Antonelli Factor
The biggest change in F1 this season is psychological as much as statistical.
For years, the sport’s championship battles have revolved around names such as Hamilton, Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris and Russell.
Antonelli has now inserted himself into that group.
And he is doing it at only 20.
The Monza victory was especially significant because he became the first Italian driver in 60 years to win the Italian Grand Prix.
That makes him more than a Mercedes prospect.
He is becoming a central figure in Formula 1.
Can Anyone Stop Mercedes?
The answer depends on development.
Mercedes currently has the championship advantage.
But F1 is an engineering competition.
A 145-point constructors’ lead is enormous, but upgrades can change the competitive order surprisingly quickly.
McLaren has already demonstrated that development can transform a season.
Ferrari has also produced significant upgrade packages.
Red Bull remains capable of producing race-winning performances.
So the remaining season will be less about whether Mercedes is fast enough.
It will be about whether its rivals can develop faster.
What’s Next?
The next major test comes at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from September 24–26.
Baku is very different from the new Madrid circuit and presents another test of straight-line speed, braking and tyre management.
For Antonelli, the objective is simple: protect the championship advantage.
For Russell, the challenge is to keep his teammate within reach.
For Ferrari, it is about closing the gap to Mercedes while protecting second place.
For McLaren, it is about proving that its development momentum can turn into a sustained championship challenge.
And for Red Bull, it is about giving Verstappen a car capable of fighting consistently at the front.
FAQ
How many races has Kimi Antonelli won in 2026?
Antonelli had won eight Grands Prix by the Spanish Grand Prix.
How big is Antonelli’s championship lead?
After the Spanish Grand Prix, Antonelli’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship was 81 points.
How many points does Mercedes have?
Mercedes had 503 constructors’ points after the Spanish Grand Prix.
How close is McLaren to Ferrari?
Ferrari had 358 points and McLaren 306, leaving a 52-point gap.
Is Red Bull catching Ferrari?
Red Bull had 230 points after Spain, meaning it was 128 points behind Ferrari in the constructors’ championship.
What happened at Monza?
Antonelli started 19th and won the Italian Grand Prix, beating teammate George Russell after a late-race battle.
Related reading:
- Ferrari Keeps Making the Same F1 Mistakes
- Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari Future: What Is Going Wrong?
- Why McLaren Is Catching Ferrari
- Mercedes Has Changed the F1 Power Balance
