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Riccardo Patrese feels Mercedes gem Andrea Kimi Antonelli is now showing the same sort of arrogance as Red Bull racer Max Verstappen and some of F1’s all-time legends.
Patrese has sensed a change in how Antonelli behaves in the paddock on the back of the 19-year-old winning each of the past four Grands Prix in China, Japan, Miami and Canada. He is even the first driver in F1 history to take their first four career wins across consecutive races.
Antonelli’s recent run of dominance has also seen him create a 43-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell atop the standings after five rounds. It is the biggest lead that any driver has ever had after five rounds, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record of 41 points in 2011.
Which driver would you rather have RIGHT NOW: Charles Leclerc or Kimi Antonelli?
Riccardo Patrese feels Kimi Antonelli is now ‘a bit arrogant’, like Max Verstappen
Antonelli became the youngest driver to ever lead the F1 standings in March, on the back of scoring his second successive victory from pole position in Japan, too. The Italian earned his first pole and first win in China, and he again won after starting the race from pole in Miami.
READ MORE: The best moments of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s F1 career
Patrese is not surprised by Antonelli’s results so far this year, given the potential that he had shown earlier in his fledgling career. But Patrese feels the Bologna boy’s results are changing him as a person, as he is now showing the same sort of confidence as Red Bull’s Verstappen.
“I knew he would drive strongly, and he also had the advantage of having the best car on the grid,” Patrese said, via SPEEDWEEK. “So, I knew he could reach this level. But probably nobody expected him to win four Grands Prix in a row, and he just keeps getting stronger.
“He’s no longer shy, and sometimes he even comes across as a bit arrogant. But that’s how you have to be. That’s Verstappen. Back in the day, people like [Michael] Schumacher [and Ayrton] Senna, and all the drivers at that level, were also a bit arrogant.”
Kimi Antonelli has enjoyed ‘the luck of a champion’ at the start of his 2026 title bid
Fortune has somewhat played its part in Antonelli’s huge early advantage over Russell, who suffered from reliability problems in China plus Canada and was disadvantaged by the timing of a safety car in Japan. Russell is desperate for his “luck” to change given his recent woes.
How ‘lucky’ has Kimi Antonelli been so far this season?
Antonelli arguably had the pace to win the Japanese Grand Prix regardless of the safety car, though, and he was hot on Russell’s heels before his teammate retired whilst leading in the Canadian GP. All of which combine to give Patrese the sense that Antonelli has enjoyed the “luck of a champion” in his title tilt, as he strives to be the first Italian champion since 1953.
Patrese added: “Perhaps you need the luck of a champion. Luck is very important. Other drivers did not have the luck of a champion, and their engines failed at crucial moments. Personally, I think I often lacked the luck of a champion.
“Since Kimi began his career, he has not only possessed the talent, but also had luck on his side. He was chosen by Toto Wolff and put in the car at the right moment, namely in the best car currently available – and probably the unbeatable car of 2026. That’s what I call the luck of a champion.”
Wolff chose to bet on a raw diamond by promoting Antonelli to F1 for the 2025 season after just one year in F2, as Mercedes had to replace seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton thanks to his move to Ferrari. Antonelli had a mixed rookie year in F1, but Wolff’s faith is paying off.
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