Steiner Says Antonelli Should Forget About the Title: "He's Only 19"

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Steiner Says Antonelli Should Forget About the Title: "He's Only 19"

Published on 24 Mar 2026 15:38
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By: Bob Plaizier

Andrea Kimi Antonelli arrives at Suzuka this weekend on the back of his first Formula 1 victory, a dominant lights-to-flag performance in China that has had people talking about whether the teenager can seriously challenge for the championship. Gunther Steiner has heard enough of that conversation.

Mercedes Are in a Different Class

The numbers back up the excitement around Antonelli. Mercedes currently have the fastest car in the field by a clear margin. They tend to manage the starts well enough and then pull away as the race develops. In China, Antonelli took that advantage and turned it into a convincing solo win, leading every lap and never looking under real pressure. His teammate George Russell was dealing with a difficult qualifying session, which opened the door, and Antonelli walked straight through it.

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That win moved him to second in the championship and prompted several paddock observers to name him as a genuine title contender. Steiner, the former Haas team principal, is not one of them.

Steiner: Russell Is Simply Better Right Now

Speaking on the Red Flags Podcast, Steiner gave a measured but clear assessment of where Antonelli actually stands relative to his teammate. "I think Kimi's win gives him a lot of confidence, because there was an opportunity for him. Under normal circumstances, however, it's very difficult to beat George."

When asked directly whether Antonelli can take the fight to Russell across a full season, the answer was no. "Not unless something exceptional happens, like in qualifying in China. Under normal circumstances, I think it's also understandable why not."

Experience Will Be the Deciding Factor

Steiner pointed to the experience gap as the most important variable in the intra-team battle. Russell has years of Formula 1 behind him, has come close to titles before, and knows how to extract the maximum over a long campaign. Antonelli is in his second season and is still learning what that requires. "Kimi is only 19, he's in his second season and George is a very good driver. If he doesn't win this year, he can win another time. He is still so young. He doesn't need to put too much pressure on himself to win this year. He has a great future ahead of him."

The message is not a criticism of Antonelli. It is a reality check on expectations that may be running ahead of where he actually is in his development. One win does not change the balance of the season. Russell remains the man to beat at Mercedes, and Steiner thinks that will stay true unless something goes wrong.

F1 News Guenther Steiner Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes