Kimi Antonelli claimed victory at the Miami Grand Prix on May 4, marking his third consecutive win in the 2026 Formula 1 season [1]. At just 19 years old and in only his second F1 season, Antonelli has shown rapid improvement to lead the championship [1].
Antonelli is the youngest driver to win a pole position and lead the championship this season. He also joined an elite group as only the third driver in history to start his career with three consecutive poles [1]. His winning streak places him alongside racing legends Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher, as just the fourth driver to win his first three Formula 1 races in a row [1].
Damon Hill praised Antonelli’s performance, saying, “We witnessed this young boy showing us what enormous potential he clearly has, and I'm almost stunned with how he has coped this season” [1]. Hill noted Antonelli is outperforming his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who began the year as the preseason favorite but now trails by 20 points after four races [1].
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff highlighted Antonelli’s long development path. Wolff signed the driver at age 11 and has mentored him ever since, saying, “When you look throughout his trajectory, in karting and in the junior formulas, he was just outstanding. And when you think about what we said last year, it's exactly how he's performed and how he's developed now” [1].
The next Formula 1 race will be closely watched to see if Antonelli can extend his winning streak and maintain his lead over rivals including Russell.
