Kimi Antonelli’s impressive start to the 2026 Formula 1 season did not convince everyone in the paddock. Juan Pablo Montoya stated that the young driver may have difficulty dealing with the pressure of competing for the title, especially against his own teammate, George Russell.
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Antonelli achieved two consecutive victories, including the triumph at the Japanese GP in Suzuka, after having already won authoritatively in China. With the result, Antonelli took the lead in the championship and became the youngest driver to lead in Formula 1 history.
Even with this positive momentum, Montoya believes that the challenge of maintaining the level throughout the year will be greater. Speaking to a betting site, the former F1 driver showed skepticism about the Mercedes youngster’s chances of winning the title this year: “I don’t think Antonelli will be world champion. When he starts to realize that he might be leading the points, I think the pressure could affect him, because he is very young and has never experienced this before,” Montoya stated.
The former driver also highlighted that the situation changes when the competitor becomes the target in the championship. According to him, leading could expose the Italian to errors similar to those seen last year, in his first year in the category: “It is much easier to be the hunter than the hunted. If you are being chased and start being beaten again, he could go into a spiral, start crashing and making mistakes. I think for F1, they have all the right stories,” he added.
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Antonelli took advantage of a difficult weekend for his Mercedes teammate in Japan to take the lead in the championship. The performance reinforced the youngster’s impact on the category, especially after the strong start to the season.
Even so, Montoya’s words indicate that the title race may require more than speed. For the Colombian, experience and the ability to handle pressure throughout the entire season will be decisive in determining whether Antonelli can sustain his strong campaign in Formula 1.
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