Kimi Antonelli will enter Formula 1’s summer break as the championship leader, but the Mercedes driver does not consider his team the favourite for the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix. Ahead of the Hungaroring weekend, the Italian expects Ferrari to be strong and believes McLaren’s latest upgrades could also make it a serious contender.
That cautious assessment contrasts with Antonelli’s secure position at the top of the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship. However, he appears relaxed about both situations as he prepares for the final race before the summer pause.
Kimi Antonelli expects Ferrari and McLaren to challenge in Hungary
“It is nice to know that I’ll have a peaceful holiday,” Kimi Antonelli said with a smile. “I also like starting the weekend in the role of an outsider. Ferrari will definitely be strong, but I think McLaren will also be competitive, given that it has brought upgrades. We know this is a track with many slow corners and changes of direction, so it will not be easy for us.”
The characteristics of the Hungaroring have encouraged expectations that Ferrari could emerge as a leading contender. The Maranello team has reasons for confidence, although it has also warned against assuming that the circuit will automatically favour its car. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
McLaren has also arrived with changes to its car, increasing the uncertainty surrounding the competitive order. Its Hungarian Grand Prix upgrade package is another reason why Antonelli is reluctant to describe Mercedes as the benchmark before any track running has taken place.
Nevertheless, the championship leader pointed to Monaco as evidence that pre-weekend predictions do not always reflect the eventual result.
“At the same time, we were not the favourites before Monaco either,” Kimi Antonelli added. “Then the weekend told a different story, and not being considered among the possible winners gave me even more satisfaction. We will see.”
Frederik Vesti will replace Kimi Antonelli in FP1
Kimi Antonelli will face an additional complication because he is scheduled to sit out the opening practice session. Frederik Vesti will take over the Mercedes for FP1, leaving the championship leader with less time to prepare himself and the car for qualifying and the race.
“I will miss taking part in FP1 a little, because I am handing the car over to Frederik Vesti, so it will be important to make the most of FP2 and hope everything goes smoothly,” Kimi Antonelli explained.
Mercedes nevertheless believes its W17 can compete strongly at the Hungaroring despite the circuit’s demanding sequence of slower corners. The team’s expectations for the weekend and its need for an error-free event have also shaped its preparations after recent races, with Toto Wolff offering reassurance as Mercedes targets a clean Hungarian Grand Prix weekend.
Spa victory strengthens Kimi Antonelli’s championship lead
Kimi Antonelli’s victory at Spa the previous Sunday carried considerable importance. It returned the Italian to the top step of the podium, sent a message to his closest rivals and reinforced his position at the head of the championship.
“Yes, it was an important result,” he confirmed. “On Monday, I slept until two in the afternoon, but by the evening I was already back in England.”
Mercedes’ competitiveness has played a major role in Kimi Antonelli’s championship position, but the driver also highlighted the development work completed alongside the team. Much of that effort was focused on making procedures and driving techniques feel instinctive rather than requiring conscious attention in the cockpit.
“There has been an enormous amount of work behind it,” Kimi Antonelli explained, “especially to ensure that many aspects of driving became natural. I started working with this car in the simulator last year, and at first there were many things that did not come instinctively to me.”
“Once the season started, everything moved very quickly. I could not even say how many hours I have spent in the simulator, but that work helped me enormously. Over time, many procedures became automatic, and today they no longer represent a problem while I am driving.”
Consistency has been central to Antonelli’s title campaign
In his assessment of the opening half of the season, Kimi Antonelli identified consistency as the main strength behind his championship campaign. Mercedes has maximised many of its opportunities, while avoiding the errors that can quickly cost points during a close title contest.
“We have been among those who have made the fewest mistakes, and I think that has been fundamental in achieving so many good results,” he said. “There is still this weekend before the summer break, but from an execution point of view, we have done an incredible job together as a team. That is what has allowed us to build a favourable position in the standings.”
Antonelli’s advantage has inevitably raised questions about how Mercedes might manage its two drivers if the championship battle develops further. Toto Wolff has maintained that Mercedes will not favour Kimi Antonelli through team orders at this stage, with the campaign still having a long way to run.
Antonelli plans a short Mediterranean break
Once the Hungarian Grand Prix has concluded, Kimi Antonelli will spend several days on holiday in the Mediterranean. He hopes to begin the break with an even stronger points total, but is also looking forward to recovering after an intense schedule that began at the start of January.
“Hopefully, I will have even more points in the standings,” he said, “but above all, I am looking forward to the chance to catch my breath. I started working on 3 January, and since then we have stopped very little, even between Japan and Miami.”
“I am happy that I will now be able to switch off for a while, although I already know that after three or four days I will start to get bored and want to return to the track. Fortunately, there is a go-kart circuit where I am going on holiday, so I will still be able to train.”
Kimi Antonelli questions Belgian GP Virtual Safety Car handling
Before that break begins, three days of track action remain, along with a drivers’ briefing that could feature a lively discussion. Kimi Antonelli did not hide his dissatisfaction with the management of the Virtual Safety Car periods during the Belgian Grand Prix.
His concern was not the initial decision to deploy the VSC, but the length of time for which the second intervention remained active. According to Antonelli, the first period lasted approximately 30 seconds, while the second continued for two laps.
“I was not bothered by the moment when the VSC was called,” Kimi Antonelli clarified, “but by the reason it was kept in place. The first lasted around 30 seconds, while the second lasted as long as two laps. It was no longer needed, yet the Virtual Safety Car conditions remained in force for a very long time.”
“I want to discuss it in the briefing because I believe there was a lack of consistency. In my case, I still managed to return to the lead, but I could easily have lost the race because of that decision.”
The Spa incident adds another talking point before a Hungarian Grand Prix in which Mercedes expects intense pressure from both Ferrari and McLaren. Antonelli may be guaranteed to enter the summer break at the top of the standings, but he is refusing to treat either his championship position or his team’s recent success as a reason for complacency.
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