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Mercedes F1 Warned Antonelli Cannot Keep Relying on Car Advantage As Poor Starts Plague Driver
TL;DR
Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 Formula 1 championship but has lost 20 positions at the start in three races. Mercedes' car advantage may not last, and improvements are needed as competition tightens.
Key points
- Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 Formula 1 championship.
- He has lost 20 positions at the start in three races.
- Mercedes has a strong car but needs improvements.
- James Hinchcliffe warns that Antonelli can't rely on car advantage forever.
- Mercedes failed to win in Miami without substantial upgrades.
Mentioned in this story
James Hinchcliffe
Kimi AntonelliMercedesFormula 1McLaren
Three races in, Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 Formula 1 world championship. He has also, somehow, managed to shed a total of 20 positions at the start across the opening three grands prix and two sprint races . At the moment, Mercedes has a good enough car to help the young Italian push back up the field. But that canāt last forever.
F1TV presenter and former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe discussed this subject on the F1 Nation podcast after presenter Tom Clarkson argued that the fact he can joke about his poor starts means heās in a good place mentally.
āIt also means that the team has a phenomenal car because weāre going to get to a point where you donāt have that advantage and losing two or three places off the start isnāt okay. Youāre not going to be able to bounce back from that every weekend for another 19 weekends, whatever it is.
āSo, I think itās working right now, but theyāre going to have to improve that at some point because as these other teams get closer, and they did get a lot closer this weekend ā granted, thereās the caveat that Mercedes hasnāt brought their first proper big upgrade package, thatās coming down the road ā but if they continue to be this close, Kimi is not going to be able to kind of rely on the car pace advantage that theyāve got seemingly at the moment to make up for those bad starts.ā
This weekend was the first time Mercedes failed to win this year after the team didnāt bring any substantial upgrades to Miami, compared to heavily upgraded cars for McLaren and Ferrari who made up the podium.
Antonelli still won the grand prix, but the margin for recovery is already thinning.
Q&A
Why is Kimi Antonelli losing positions at the start of races?
Kimi Antonelli has lost a total of 20 positions at the start across the opening three races and two sprint races, indicating issues with his race starts.
How does Mercedes' car advantage affect Kimi Antonelli's performance?
Mercedes' strong car currently allows Antonelli to recover positions, but this advantage may not be sustainable as competition improves.
What did James Hinchcliffe say about Antonelli's poor starts?
James Hinchcliffe noted that while Antonelli's ability to joke about his poor starts shows mental resilience, it also highlights the need for improvement as other teams close the gap.
What impact did the lack of upgrades have on Mercedes in the Miami race?
Mercedes failed to win in Miami due to not bringing substantial upgrades, allowing competitors like McLaren and Ferrari to secure podium finishes.
