Martin Brundle highlights the one weakness Kimi Antonelli still has despite ‘incredible pace’

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Martin Brundle has pointed out one weakness that Kimi Antonelli still needs to eradicate amid his ‘incredible pace’. 

Heading into the 2026 Formula 1 season, it was expected that Antonelli would play second fiddle to George Russell, who was the overwhelming favourite to win the world title.

However, after Russell’s victory in Melbourne, Antonelli secured five wins in a row in China, Japan, Miami, Canada and Monaco.

The young Italian’s winning streak was halted last month when Lewis Hamilton won the Barcelona Grand Prix.

At this weekend’s British Grand Prix, Antonelli won the Sprint before storming to Grand Prix pole ahead of Charles Leclerc and Hamilton, making him the man to beat around Silverstone.

Kimi Antonelli wins the British GP Sprint. Who can stop him winning the Grand Prix?

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Martin Brundle says Kimi Antonelli is showing maturity ‘beyond his years’

Speaking about Antonelli’s performance, ex-F1 driver Brundle was full of praise for the teenager’s ‘maturity’ and his ‘incredible pace’.

However, the 67-year-old did point out the fact that Antonelli can be a little ‘wild’, especially in the opening lap, which we saw in Austria when he went off the track on multiple occasions during the first couple of laps.

Despite that, Brundle now firmly believes that Antonelli is the ‘driver to beat’ in this year’s world championship battle.

Brundle said on Sky Sports F1: “Kimi used his head in the Sprint. That’s a maturity now that’s way beyond his years.

“He’s a little bit wild from time to time – we saw that in Austria on the first lap – but he’s surviving those. Then, he settles down with incredible pace, especially in the second half of a tyre stint. He’s unquestionably the driver to beat in this championship.”

Name the biggest winner and biggest loser from Saturday’s qualifying session at the British GP 👇

Kimi Antonelli claimed his fifth pole position of the season at Silverstone!

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READ MORE: Kimi Antonelli claims British Grand Prix pole position ahead of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton

Meanwhile, former McLaren driver and 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button believes that Antonelli’s team will be able to keep him calm and grounded.

Button stated that Antonelli’s race engineer, Peter Bonnington, is exactly the ‘calming character’ the Italian needs to succeed.

The 46-year-old highlighted that Antonelli has got a little ‘excited’ over his team radio this season, but Bonnington was always on hand to bring his driver ‘back down to earth’.

Button explained: “I think it was interesting hearing Bono on the radio after the Sprint saying ‘you kept it calm the whole way through’. It was obviously something they’d talked about beforehand. If he can do that, he’s going to be formidable.

“I think with the management of Toto and Bono, his engineer around, has helped him grow in the sport. Bono is a very calming character, which is what you need.

“At times this year Kimi has been very excited on the radio saying this isn’t working, etc, and Bono is the calming voice that brings him back down to earth. And that has really helped him this season.”