Andrea Kimi Antonelli is just two points away from securing the 2026 Formula 1 world championship at this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix, completing a dream built on a season of exceptional performances and his ability to make the most of a Mercedes car that has long been the benchmark on the grid. Following the Italian’s victory in Austin, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained why his aggressive driving style has become such an effective weapon under the new 2026 F1 regulations, arguing that the Mercedes driver deserves considerable credit for adapting his approach to the demands of this generation of cars.
After the United States Grand Prix, Toto Wolff explained that Andrea Kimi Antonelli had managed to push beyond the limits of the current Mercedes W17, describing the performance as his finest victory of the year. The result moved the Italian closer to the championship, with Toto Wolff praising his title-leading driver following the crucial Austin success.
Andrea Stella’s assessment follows a similar line of reasoning. The McLaren team principal believes Andrea Kimi Antonelli deserves recognition for successfully adapting his natural driving characteristics to the specific requirements of the 2026 Formula 1 cars, a challenge that has forced drivers throughout the grid to reconsider how they extract performance.
On several occasions this season, Andrea Stella has explained that the new cars demand an aggressive approach to driving if they are to operate effectively. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has turned that requirement into one of his greatest strengths. Although much of the discussion surrounding the 2026 regulations has focused on the increased importance of the power unit, that represents only part of the picture, because the technical changes have also fundamentally altered how the cars must be driven.
2026 F1 cars demand a different approach to corner entry
The differences become particularly noticeable on corner entry, especially when drivers are braking and turning the steering wheel simultaneously. This is an extremely delicate phase because the narrower tyres used under the 2026 regulations can struggle with the transition from longitudinal forces to purely lateral loads, increasing the risk of locking a wheel. The problem is compounded by the inherent rear-end instability associated with the new regulations, which have reduced the available aerodynamic downforce.
To compensate for this sensitivity on corner entry, some drivers tend to load the front tyres heavily by making a very rapid steering input. This helps stabilise the rear of the car while the front axle progressively develops grip. In Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s case, the technique becomes particularly apparent when he tries to tighten his line through a corner with an especially aggressive steering movement.
The Mercedes driver is among those who prefer to cut towards the inside on corner entry, making a decisive steering input at the last moment to minimise the time between the braking phase and the slowest point of the corner. However, the technique also requires considerable car control, particularly through medium- and low-speed corners, where this approach tends to be most effective. By contrast, a particularly smooth and clean driving style designed to maximise corner exit performance does not appear to deliver the same advantages as in previous seasons, when cars were more stable and drivers could apply full throttle more quickly.
This is not the only characteristic that distinguishes Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s driving, and the approach does not work identically at every circuit or in every condition, particularly when temperatures begin to rise. Nevertheless, it represents an important piece of the puzzle in understanding Andrea Stella’s comments. Driving technique also has a direct influence on tyre behaviour, making the relationship between steering inputs, car balance and tyre management especially significant under the new regulations.
After congratulating Andrea Kimi Antonelli on his Austin victory and his season, Andrea Stella offered a detailed assessment of the Mercedes driver’s technique.
“Going into more technical detail about this season, Kimi is a very interesting driver to watch because he is attacking practically all the time. You can often see just how close to the limit he is, how frequently he runs wide or goes beyond the track limits, and from the onboard cameras he looks extremely aggressive,” the McLaren team principal explained.
Andrea Stella: Kimi Antonelli’s driving is aggressive but effective
Andrea Stella has repeatedly stressed that the 2026 Formula 1 cars require drivers to remain constantly on the attack. His observations have also helped explain the differences within McLaren between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, with the latter frequently appearing more comfortable extracting performance from the MCL40. Both drivers have faced challenges adapting to the new generation of machinery, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri discussing McLaren’s performance difficulties following the Austin Grand Prix.
For every driver, understanding how to extract the maximum from these cars has required time, precisely because their characteristics differ so significantly from those of the previous ground-effect generation. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, however, has managed to turn this adjustment into an advantage rather than a limitation.
“It’s not just aggressive or attacking driving: it’s effective driving. And if we think about how much we talk in these press conferences about how difficult the cars are to drive consistently and quickly, I think he deserves credit for managing to combine his driving style with what these cars require,” Andrea Stella said.
The distinction is important because outright aggression does not automatically translate into competitive lap times. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has shown that he can combine decisive steering inputs and a willingness to push the limits with the control required to produce results consistently. That balance was particularly apparent in Austin, where the Italian secured his ninth victory of the campaign, with Peter Bonnington also playing a role in helping the Mercedes driver achieve his United States Grand Prix success.
Why Andrea Stella believes Kimi Antonelli deserves the F1 championship
Andrea Stella believes the most impressive aspect of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s season is not simply his ability to drive aggressively, but his capacity to adapt that approach when a result needs to be secured. Despite often appearing to operate at the limit, the Italian has demonstrated the maturity required to turn his speed into championship-leading performances.
“But at the same time, almost in contradiction to what I’m saying, when it has been time to bring home the result, he has been able to do so. That’s why I think he deservedly leads the championship. He is writing an important chapter in motorsport history because, once he wins the title, he will become the youngest champion ever.”
His assessment comes at a decisive moment in the championship battle, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli approaching the Mexican Grand Prix in a commanding position. His Austin triumph strengthened an already substantial advantage over teammate George Russell, whose difficult weekend was another illustration of the contrasting fortunes within Mercedes. Following the race, Toto Wolff addressed George Russell’s struggles compared with Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while the championship leader moved closer to completing his remarkable campaign.
For Andrea Stella, the significance extends beyond the individual achievements of the Mercedes driver. An Italian winning the Formula 1 world championship would represent a historic moment for a country whose previous drivers’ titles were secured by Giuseppe Farina and Alberto Ascari.
“And that takes us back to names like Farina and Ascari when we talk about Italian motorsport. We can only admire him and congratulate him. And from our side at McLaren, we hope to be able to fight him very soon,” Andrea Stella added.
It was a tribute to a driver preparing to write an important chapter in Formula 1 history, but also a clear declaration of McLaren’s desire to return to the front of the grid and challenge Andrea Kimi Antonelli directly. As the championship heads to Mexico, the Italian’s ability to combine an aggressive driving style with consistency and control has become one of the defining characteristics of his remarkable season.
With the title now within reach, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has the opportunity to turn that technical adaptability and competitive maturity into a historic achievement. Meanwhile, McLaren will be working to rediscover the performance needed to compete with Mercedes, after a difficult period in which its recent points return has left the team under increasing pressure.
More Formula 1 news ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix
- George Russell reflects on 50 difficult laps as Andrea Kimi Antonelli dominates Austin
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s ninth F1 victory boosts Italian television audiences
- Ferrari SF-26 loses 25 km/h to Mercedes W17 in Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc’s Austin battle
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