Kimi Antonelli’s F1 World Title Odds Analyzed Before Miami GP

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli was expected to finish high in the Drivers’ Championship standings given the team’s strength, though he was largely discounted as a title threat.

For a teenager stepping into F1, Antonelli shone for the part in 2025, though he ended up quite far off George Russell’s pace in aggregate.

With such a pronounced gap in speed, the Mercedes driver was looking to just make another step forward rather than outright challenge Russell’s status as the fastest driver on the team.

However, after a handful of races into the season, Antonelli has won back-to-back races and stands as the title leader, looking quite up for the challenge against Russell.

Nov 21, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli (12) is introduced before the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

His last win out in Japan did come with a bit of safety-car luck, but on the whole, Antonelli’s results have been a showcase of his true pace, according to Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok.

“He was the fastest throughout practice. The only mistake he made was a terrible start. He had a slice of luck with the safety car that allowed him to recover it, but his pace all weekend was outstanding,” Chandhok said on Sky Sports.

“He had two or three tenths on George all the way through. So based on that form, he is absolutely in a position to win the championship. I’m sure George will have other things to say about it, but I think the short answer is he can. I don’t know if he will.”

Why is it too early to judge Antonelli’s hot start?

Antonelli will be facing an ever-changing sport, with new regulations already being released to address some of the early issues with the engine formula.

Fans of the sport are notably complaining about the engine’s power and the quality of the races, which could push for further changes in the sport.

As it evolves, the car beneath Antonelli could change quickly, something his teammate has much more experience with.