Andrea Kimi Antonelli has finally unlocked his potential by taking victory in China, but there are still areas that require improvement. Beyond the obvious factor of experience, the young Italian driver will need to refine his instinctive approach, which still leads him at times to mismanage the hybrid system in certain phases of a race. George Russell, by contrast, appears more prepared to exploit it fully, and part of his current advantage comes precisely from that.
By now, it is clear: with the power units that drive the 2026 Formula 1 cars, it is essential to never stray from the predefined plan—not even slightly—if a driver wants to extract maximum performance across all sessions, especially when it matters most.
The first to underline this major shift—a genuine breaking point compared to the Formula 1 era that lasted until the end of 2025, when drivers could still rely more on instinct in key moments—was Charles Leclerc. At the end of qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver stressed the importance of sticking to the plan agreed with engineers regarding energy deployment and recovery in order to achieve the best possible result.
“It’s better to be under the limit but always do the same thing, rather than get to Q3 and try something different. I’m a bit sorry because this was definitely one of my strengths in the past, but I will get used to it—it’s not a disaster. But surely in qualifying I don’t like it that much; there are some things we can change going forward that could help that part of qualifying.”
Once upon a time, creativity ruled. Now, performance execution has taken over, and creativity has been pushed aside. Following the plan is everything, and the sooner a driver learns to suppress the natural instincts that all racing drivers possess, the sooner they can truly aim for what matters most: peak performance.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has understood this well. Fresh from his victory at the Chinese Grand Prix—the first Formula 1 win of his career—the young Italian has sent a clear message to the entire paddock: he may be young, he may lack experience, and he may not yet be fully accustomed to calculated driving, but anyone who wants to win races will have to deal with him.
However, caution is required. The Bologna-born driver—sharp and composed even outside the cockpit—has provided an important insight into the differences that currently exist between himself and championship leader and teammate George Russell.
Although Antonelli delivered an almost perfect performance in Shanghai, there are still aspects that need refining. First and foremost: instinct. In certain moments, Andrea still relies too much on what his heart tells him—or, if you prefer, on his natural flair—whereas modern Formula 1 cars must now be driven almost entirely with the mind, strictly following the predefined plan. Only in this way can drivers fully exploit the 350 kW delivered by the MGU-K and the energy stored in the batteries. With a 50-50 balance between thermal and electric power, there is no room for compromise.
“I feel good with the W17. There is still margin to improve in order to have it more under control,” Antonelli said after the Chinese Grand Prix, still soaked in champagne and overwhelmed with joy.
“When it comes to battery management, George manages to get everything right a bit earlier than I do, because I still tend to act on instinct at times and, especially with these engines, you just can’t afford that.”
“That’s why in some situations I struggled a bit compared to George. But I feel comfortable with the car.”
The victory in Shanghai, however, should not be considered a finishing point, but rather a new beginning. It must serve to build awareness and further mature a driver who is only 19 years old, yet fully aware that he must make the most of the opportunity he has helped create for himself.
“Days like these help you become more aware of what you can do and the potential you have: they give you more confidence and belief.”
“As I said, beating George is very, very difficult. There will be a lot of work to do to have a chance, but in some ways I believe that achieving my first victory will reduce the pressure.”
At present, George Russell is clearly more prepared than Antonelli to fight for the title, even though the early-season record shows two wins each in full-length races, effectively leaving the contest wide open. The first part of the season looks set to continue in a similar fashion, but Russell benefits from experience gained during his three years at Williams and the seasons that followed at Mercedes, where he partnered Lewis Hamilton.
“Another area where I still have room to improve? Experience. That means being able to put everything together when it matters and reducing mistakes to an absolute minimum—really to the bare minimum.”
“Experience plays a crucial role because it allows you to stay in control in all conditions: even when you’re struggling, you can find a way to recover quickly. But I want to play my cards.”
“I said at the beginning of this year that I will try to be as ready as possible, because the opportunity I have right now does not come around very often.”
The fact that Antonelli can analyze his own weaknesses so clearly after a historic win is a sign of a future champion. If he can bridge the “experience gap” and master the dark arts of energy management, the second half of 2026 could see the student truly challenge the master for the ultimate prize.
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