Even after securing his third consecutive victory in the 2026 Formula 1 season, Kimi Antonelli admitted that he still faces difficulties at the starts with Mercedes. At the Miami GP, the Italian lost the lead early on to Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, before the Dutchman spun at turn 2.
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In the post-race press conference, the driver acknowledged the limitation: “Yes, I mean, to be honest, today wasn’t that bad. I think I lost two positions; in the Sprint I lost six, so it was a bit better. But still, it’s not acceptable. I think especially on a weekend like this, where the differences are much smaller, it can really get in the way.”
The problem had already appeared in Saturday’s Sprint, when Antonelli lost six positions. According to Toto Wolff, the episode was due to a “failure,” not a driver error. Still, the Italian demanded improvement: “So, it’s a point where, together with the team, we need to work. […] because I’m still a bit inconsistent, especially in releasing the clutch.”
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He also highlighted the lack of confidence at the start of races: “I still don’t have that confidence, that consistency. I still have a bit of uncertainty, so it’s an important point that needs to be improved. […] I managed to move on and focus on the race.”
Despite the difficulties, Antonelli leads the championship with 100 points, 20 ahead of teammate George Russell. The Brit, however, remains confident: “He is a fantastic driver and has been exceptionally fast since day one. […] there is still a long way to go.”
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