Antonelli is gaining momentum at Mercedes: "My relationship with George is changing."

Second in the Brazilian Grand Prix, capable of withstanding repeated attacks from a Max Verstappen Mounted on new soft tires in a fun race setting, Kimi Antonelli may have just delivered one of the benchmark races of his first season in Formula 1After a frankly disappointing European season, the Italian managed to regroup, starting with a promising fourth place achieved in Baku.

Having missed out on the podium several times, the junior prodigy then found himself at the center of an incident that unintentionally angered his teammate George Russell. While the two drivers Mercedes Aiming for another podium finish in Mexico, the Briton urged his team to let him pass the young Italian with the aim of chasing a top-three finish. Finishing the race behind his younger teammate, the former teammate of Lewis Hamilton Did he see this as the beginning of a reversal of the balance of power?

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Antonelli is gaining influence at Mercedes

Interviewed after the Brazilian Grand Prix in São Paulo, Kimi Antonelli revealed that beyond his results, his status was tending to change within his team. “My relationship with George is changing,” he revealedIt's natural that he's not happy to finish behind me, just as I'm never happy when I'm behind him. The relationship has changed and will continue to change, but there's a lot of respect between us. There's a great dynamic in the team because we push each other to be better.

Seemingly innocuous at first glance, this revelation could primarily signify increased competition within the Mercedes garages. Gone is the rookie eager for guidance and protection; Kimi Antonelli could gradually prepare for a 2026 season in which comparisons with his teammate will likely continue. While this is undoubtedly a major objective for the Italian driver, the reality will hinge on the two drivers' ability to perform consistently. Furthermore, if Mercedes were to find itself at the top of the standings, this detail would become one of the key issues of the upcoming season.