Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes (2nd) – 9/10
Kimi’s the real deal, but we already knew that. After a poor start, Antonelli carved his way back into contention and pushed his veteran teammate to the absolute limit. He arguably had the better raw pace in the middle stint, and while he couldn't quite find a way past Russell, he’s sent a very loud message to the rest of the paddock.
George Russell, Mercedes (1st) – 9.5/10
Commanding when it mattered, Russell controlled the race with authority. He lost out to Leclerc at the start, due to a bit of energy management oversight, but managed the pace brilliantly and never let the chasing pack believe victory was up for negotiation. A textbook win to open the season – and a statement that Mercedes very much intends to be part of the 2026 title conversation once again.
