Chandhok: Antonelli avoiding Ferrari was the best decision his father ever made

Karun Chandhok has credited Marco Antonelli with making the defining call of his son’s early career by steering Kimi away from Ferrari and into the Mercedes junior programme — a path that has led to seven race wins and a 66-point championship lead through the 2026 season.

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Show, the former grand prix driver and pundit reflected on Kimi Antonelli’s rise after the 20-year-old won his home Italian Grand Prix last weekend, the latest in a run of dominant performances that began with back-to-back victories at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix. Antonelli, who replaced seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the 2025 season, became the youngest driver to lead the Formula 1 standings on the back of that early-season form.

“Looking back on that weekend, I actually think by not making him a Ferrari junior, not putting him in front of Ferrari, not trying to make him a Ferrari young driver, and going down the Mercedes path is actually the best thing that Marco Antonelli’s done for his son,” Chandhok said.

The argument centres on the weight of expectation that would have accompanied an Italian driver racing for the Scuderia. Chandhok suggested that pressure could have been suffocating at such an early stage of a career. “Could you imagine if he was there as a Ferrari Italian driver? The pressure would be unbelievable. Mercedes have done a fantastic job of nurturing him and bringing him here.”

Chandhok also noted the visible relief in the Antonelli family after the Italian Grand Prix result. “I saw Kimi’s parents and his sister afterwards by the Mercedes motorhome and they looked so delighted,” he said. “I couldn’t help but think they’ve managed to take away some pressure by not having him as a Ferrari driver.”

Despite the current arrangement, Chandhok left the door open for a future move to Maranello, framing it as something that could benefit both driver and team once Antonelli has matured further. “For the sake of the sport and the sake of Ferrari, I hope in 10-15 years’ time, when Kimi’s achieved a whole lot of things, maybe he will become a Ferrari driver. It’ll be great for Ferrari to have him one day, but I think it’s good now for him to have his early years as not a Ferrari driver.”

Antonelli heads into the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid with a 66-point advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell.