Kimi Antonelli pledged that his intra-team rivalry with George Russell at Mercedes will stay respectful and avoid the internal tensions once seen between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
The 19-year-old made the comments while accepting the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy at a media conference in Brisighella. He said Mercedes has given the pair freedom to race without strict orders but will intervene if needed to prevent problems.
Ti AI ṣe iroyin Àwòrán tí AI ṣe
Former Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer believes Kimi Antonelli will become even stronger by his mid-20s. The 19-year-old Mercedes driver has taken an early lead in the 2026 Formula 1 championship after wins in China, Japan and Miami.
Kimi Antonelli has dismissed speculation about a possible future move to Ferrari. The 19-year-old Italian driver reaffirmed his commitment to Mercedes while accepting the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy in Brisighella this week.
Ti AI ṣe iroyin
Former F1 driver David Coulthard predicts a cutthroat intra-team battle at Mercedes between George Russell and Kimi Antonelli following Antonelli's maiden victory at the Chinese Grand Prix. Russell leads the championship by four points after winning the Australian Grand Prix and Chinese sprint race. The duo heads into the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka amid growing title tension.
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli traded positions in a tense intra-team battle at the Canadian Grand Prix before Russell retired on lap 30 with engine trouble. Antonelli secured victory and extended his championship lead to 43 points. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said the team may need to intervene in future races to prevent similar incidents.
Ti AI ṣe iroyin
Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell resolved their differences following a clash during the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix sprint race in Montreal.
Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard says the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix will be a key psychological moment for George Russell as he trails teammate Kimi Antonelli by 20 points in the championship.
Ti AI ṣe iroyin
Following a chaotic Miami Grand Prix marked by incidents and penalties, Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his third consecutive 2026 F1 victory, extending his championship lead over teammate George Russell to 20 points. The 19-year-old outperformed rivals despite major upgrades from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull, with George Russell struggling in qualifying.