KIMI ANTONELLI’S FATHER MARCO PRAISES RAPID GROWTH AFTER BELGIAN GP WIN
Kimi Antonelli’s father, Marco, has praised the remarkable progress his son has made during the 2026 Formula 1 season, saying the biggest surprise has been how quickly the Mercedes driver improved both mentally and on track.
Speaking to Sky Sport Italy after Kimi’s victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, Marco reflected on the transformation his son has made since his rookie campaign.
“The thing that impressed me the most is how big of a step he made compared to last season, both mentally and on the performance side. We saw this in previous years, coming up from lower categories, but it really surprised me how he was able to do that so quickly here in Formula 1.”
Marco believes the improvement came from Kimi himself rather than any major change behind the scenes.
“I think that after last season he really processed everything in his mind, by himself, and figured out what to do to reach his current level. There was no magic trick behind it.”
Antonelli’s performances have backed up those words. The 19-year-old has become the reference driver in Formula 1 this season, securing six pole positions and six victories in the opening 10 races. His dominant weekend at Spa-Francorchamps further strengthened his position at the top of the championship standings and extended Mercedes’ perfect record in qualifying this year.
Despite Kimi’s outstanding form, Marco was quick to point out one area where his son can still improve. When asked what he would like to see Kimi work on, he answered immediately: “Track limits.”
The comment comes after Antonelli has had several qualifying laps and race laps deleted throughout the season for exceeding track limits, making it one of the few recurring mistakes in an otherwise outstanding championship campaign.
Antonelli now heads to the Hungarian Grand Prix carrying the momentum from his Belgian victory. With Mercedes leading both championships and Kimi continuing to improve race after race, he will look to extend his advantage before Formula 1 heads into its summer break.
Share this content:
