Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Anthony Davidson has hinted that Kimi Antonelli has yet to realise he is not ‘invincible’ unlike Mercedes teammate George Russell.
So far in the 2026 Formula 1 season, Antonelli and Russell have been involved in a fight to become world champion due to Mercedes’ early-season dominance.
However, in recent weeks, Ferrari have emerged as a serious title contender due to the Silver Arrows’ reliability issues, as well as Lewis Hamilton’s upturn in form.
Hamilton won the Barcelona Grand Prix last month, with teammate Leclerc winning the British Grand Prix last weekend.
Meanwhile, Antonelli has endured difficulties in the last few races, having been hampered by technical issues in Barcelona and Silverstone, meaning his lead over Russell has been cut to just 25 points.
How has the British Grand Prix changed your outlook on the F1 title race?
Anthony Davidson believes Kimi Antonelli has a ‘different weight’ on his shoulders than George Russell
Speaking recently on the Sky Sports F1 Show, former racing driver Davidson spoke about the fact that Antonelli does not seem to be ‘stressed’ about his current run of results.
The 47-year-old, who drove for Minardi, BAR and Super Aguri in F1, stated that Antonelli will currently be feeling ‘invincible’ due to his age, which is not the case for Russell, who has a different weight on his shoulders.
Davidson believes that at this stage of Antonelli’s career, he is not feeling as much pressure as his rivals.
He explained: “I think, you know, you get nervous. Sure, when you’re young, Jenson and I think back to our karting days, we always got nervous before a race, but you weren’t stressed about it.
“And I think that’s the difference, and that’s where the mental health issue comes in for many athletes and more so in your latter years when you’ve kind of seen it all and done it all, and you’ve had those many bad moments come your way.
“You’re trying to piece together what could potentially go wrong rather than just going into it sometimes with a completely open mind and excited at the fact that you’re here doing it.
“I think that’s where Kimi is right now; he’s in that situation where, you know, you’re invincible when you’re 19 years old. You just get in the car, have a great time, go and do a race and let’s just see what happens.
“If it doesn’t work out, then well, I’ve got at least 20 more years of my life doing this because if I don’t win the championship this year, at some point in the future I’m sure I have time.
“But, if you’re Lando last year or George this year, there’s a different weight to that and therefore there’s more pressure on your shoulders; we can all relate to that with Lando last year. To battle that kind of pressure is very difficult.”
In 10 years from now, where do you think Kimi Antonelli will rank among F1’s greatest drivers?
READ MORE: Mercedes fear George Russell may be facing a talent issue vs Kimi Antonelli
With Russell winning in Austria and securing a second-place finish at the British Grand Prix, the 28-year-old is firmly back in the title race.
However, seven-time world champion Hamilton cannot be ruled out just yet, as he only trails Antonelli by 32 points.
One major advantage Ferrari have had over Mercedes so far this season is the fact that the SF-26 has been extremely reliable, and the W17 has suffered multiple race-ending issues.
Looking ahead, everything is gearing towards a frantic title race, with the 2026 F1 season resuming next weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix, which will take place at Spa-Francorchamps.
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
