Kimi Antonelli is getting closer to the title in the 2026 Formula 1 season, and David Coulthard came to the defense of the young Italian amid criticism about his supposed luck in his campaign. The former driver described the Mercedes representative as a ‘phenomenon’.
Read more F1: Chandhok says Spanish GP organizers «will need to invest more» in Madrid
Antonelli won the Spanish GP, held in Madrid last weekend, and extended his lead in the drivers’ championship to 81 points over teammate George Russell, reaching 292. The victory was the Italian’s eighth of the season and put him in an even more favorable position in the title fight.
Part of the paddock, however, attributed this result to luck. Antonelli had to cut two corners during an aggressive attempt to overtake Lando Norris early in the race and later took the lead when a virtual safety car, triggered by Lance Stroll’s retirement on lap 14, was deployed just after the McLaren driver had passed the pit entry.
Norris was forced to complete a lap before stopping, making a seven-second pit stop. Since overtaking proved very difficult in Madrid after the first lap, the Briton could not regain the lead.
Read more F1: Know the time and where to watch Verstappen’s challenge against 100 kart drivers
Antonelli himself acknowledged that the result did not have the same taste as other victories, as he considered that Norris deserved to win. Coulthard, however, rejected the idea of reducing the Italian’s campaign to just luck.
“Some people say you create your own luck,” Coulthard said on the Up to Speed podcast. He highlighted that Antonelli found ‘a sweet spot’ in his second year in Formula 1 under the current set of rules, as well as having a competitive car and taking risks without constantly compromising the equipment.
“The results don’t lie, so yes, call him lucky. I call him a phenomenon, and unless he has a lot of bad luck, he will be the 2026 Formula 1 world champion,” concluded the former driver.
Read more F1: Steiner sees «failure» if Madring does not make changes for the 2027 season
