Champion Antonelli warns Mercedes edge is fading and names Verstappen as 2027 title threat

Kimi Antonelli has identified Max Verstappen as the man most likely to deny him back-to-back Formula 1 world titles, while conceding that the Mercedes advantage which defined the opening phase of the 2026 season will be harder to sustain in 2027.

Speaking at a press conference in San Marino on Thursday, the 20-year-old — who sealed the 2026 championship at the Mexican Grand Prix to become F1’s youngest world champion at 20 years and 68 days, and the first Italian title-winner since Alberto Ascari in 1953 — was candid about the shifting competitive landscape.

“If I had to choose one driver, I’d say Max — he’s the one who might cause the most problems,” Antonelli said, speaking in Italian.

Verstappen, a four-time champion, narrowly missed the 2025 title by two points to McLaren’s Lando Norris. He has won three of the last five grands prix and sits second in the drivers’ standings on 279 points, 111 adrift of Antonelli.

Antonelli acknowledged that the dominance Mercedes showed at the start of the season — winning the first six races — has since been clawed back by the rest of the field. “It’s very important to go to the track and win to show that we’re still the best. Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari have got a lot closer and we’re not as dominant as we were at the start of the season. The performance between us is closer, and from track to track the balance of power can change,” he said.

He also flagged structural constraints that could make repeating the feat more difficult. “It’s difficult to say whether we’ll be able to repeat it with the budget cap and the limits on wind tunnel hours, which are lower for us now that we’ve won.”

Despite those concerns, Antonelli said he welcomes a tighter fight. “The end of the season can already give us an idea of what next year could be like. It would be a great challenge for me to have to fight drivers of that calibre at every grand prix.”

The Italian also made clear that winning the title has sharpened rather than satisfied his ambitions. “Despite the win, I’m maybe even hungrier than before. Winning is a beautiful feeling and one of the best things that can happen to you. You want to relive the moment more and more. These last races are already preparation for 2027 for me, so the goal is to finish the year well, maybe with a few wins, and try to repeat it next year. It’s only the beginning.”