Antonelli pledges Mercedes loyalty after four wins fuel Ferrari speculation

Kimi Antonelli used his appearance at the 33rd Trofeo Lorenzo Bandini ceremony in Brisighella to shut down speculation linking him with Ferrari, insisting his sole ambition is to win a world championship with Mercedes. The 19-year-old Italian currently leads the 2026 Formula 1 drivers’ standings by 43 points over team-mate George Russell, with 131 points to the Briton’s 88.

Antonelli’s rise to the top of the standings has been rapid. He claimed his maiden F1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai before becoming the youngest driver to lead the championship after winning at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. He has since added further victories in Miami and Canada to give him four wins in the opening five rounds of the season.

The media attention generated by that run of results brought inevitable questions about Ferrari, the team that commands the largest Italian fanbase. Antonelli addressed the speculation directly after accepting the award. “Ferrari is a huge team with an incredible following and will remain in history forever,” he said. “But I am a Mercedes driver, and my goal is to win with Mercedes. They gave me a great opportunity from a young age, supported me throughout my entire journey, and I feel a duty to give my best for this team. Then, we’ll see.”

The Bandini Trophy, established in 1992 in memory of the late Lorenzo Bandini, is awarded for commendable performance in motorsport. Previous recipients include David Coulthard (1995), Jacques Villeneuve (1996), Jenson Button (2001), Michael Schumacher (2003), Lewis Hamilton (2010), and Max Verstappen (2016).

Antonelli’s next opportunity to extend his championship lead comes at the Monaco Grand Prix, the sixth round of the 2026 season, scheduled for 5–7 June.