Kimi Antonelli hailed as “phenomenon” as David Coulthard rejects luck claims

Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard has branded current championship leader Kimi Antonelli a “phenomenon”, dismissing claims that the Mercedes driver’s success is down to luck.

Antonelli, who is currently in his second season in the series, took the lead of the drivers’ standings after back-to-back wins at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix. In the first half of the season, he claimed six grand prix wins overall, and he recently picked up his eighth win at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.

Coulthard discussed the Italian driver’s impressive rise and his win in Madrid, which Antonelli admitted was helped by a well-timed virtual safety car, during an episode of the Up To Speed podcast.

“Some people say you make your own luck. He has found a sweet spot in his second year of Formula 1 with this particular set of rules and regulations,” the former Red Bull driver explained.

“Mercedes have given him a great car. They’re serial winners, and he continues to take risks but somehow has the spatial awareness not to lose an end plate, not to rip the corner off when he’s touched the wall in Turn 7. The results don’t lie.

“We can have opinions as to who our favourite drivers are, but in a world driven by data, he’s stopping the stopwatch pretty consistently, quicker than most, and he’s seeing the chequered flag.

“Yeah, call him lucky. I call him a phenomenon. And unless he gets very unlucky, he is going to be the 2026 Formula 1 world champion.”

Antonelli currently holds an 81-point advantage over his team-mate George Russell, who sits second in the standings. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton follows in third, 101 points behind Antonelli.

The 15th round of the season, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, will take place from 24-26 September.

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