Kimi Antonelli leads the Formula 1 championship with six wins and six pole positions after his victory at Spa. The Mercedes driver’s sharp, aggressive driving style aligns with the demands of the 2026 regulations. Team principals and tyre experts have noted how this approach gives him an edge over smoother drivers like teammate George Russell.
Antonelli secured the win at Spa, a track where he had struggled the previous season with rear suspension issues. The result positions him to enter the summer break as the championship leader.
His style features rapid steering inputs and efforts to shorten corner radii. “I try to shorten the radius of the corner, as well as the time I spend between braking and the dead zone,” Antonelli said. “I turn at the last moment, very aggressively.”
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella observed that 2026 cars reward constant attack on corner entry rather than smooth inputs. Pirelli motorsport head Dario Marrafuschi explained that narrower tyres and new aerodynamics make the combined braking and steering phase more delicate, favoring drivers who saturate the front tyres quickly.
Russell’s progressive style worked well under prior ground-effect rules but appears less effective now. Analyses indicate Antonelli’s method manages tyre wear and temperatures better in low-grip conditions.
