Antonelli stunned by prospect of Austin coronation: ‘Can I really?’

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Kimi Antonelli could be just one race away from a maiden Formula 1 world championship, but Mercedes’ championship leader is refusing to get carried away with the prospect of an early coronation.

The Italian strengthened his grip on the 2026 title fight with third place in Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix, while team-mate George Russell could manage only ninth after starting 19th.

The result leaves Antonelli 102 points clear with six rounds remaining. With 150 points still available, he can mathematically clinch the championship in Austin in two weeks if he leaves Texas at least 125 points ahead of his nearest rival.

Informed of the possibility after finishing behind Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc at Marina Bay, Antonelli appeared genuinely surprised.

“Can I? Really? Let’s not worry about that! Let’s try to do the best weekends possible and finish the job,” insisted.

Another podium puts Antonelli in control

Antonelli climbed from fourth to third in the closing stages of the race, capitalising when Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris became embroiled in a battle.

His ability to seize the opportunity further strengthened Mercedes’ confidence after a weekend spent trying to understand its latest upgrades,” he said.

“It was not easy out there. I felt very good on the soft [tyre], but on the medium I struggled a lot. Then on the soft the pace was very good at the end; it was very, very good, so that’s a positive.

“However, there’s still lots of work to do. The team did a great job on trying to turn [things] around, especially the car. I think we can be very happy and proud of the job we did, especially looking at how we started the weekend.”

Mercedes finally finding the right window

Antonelli also highlighted his efforts to help Mercedes extract more from its updated W17, with the team making progress in understanding its potential.

“I try to do the best with what I have, try to help the team as much as possible, and really just try to do the best job as possible, and trying to on my side even overcome some difficulties with the car,” he said.

Read also: Antonelli and Mercedes ‘starting to see potential’ of updated W17

“I can say that we’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with this package, and it’s just a matter of understanding which one is the best window, how to put the car in the best window, in order to extract the maximum out of the package.”

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.