How much of Antonelli's success is down to his ability? - F1 Q&A

This weekend, both Mercedes drivers had the new upgrades but Kimi Antonelli dominated qualifying and the race while George Russell didn't quite achieve the same success. There is a theme throughout the season. How much of that is down to driver ability, driving style etc and how much is down to car set-up and strategy. Is George better than this or has he reached his limit? - Julian

The dominant theme of the 2026 season has been the degree to which Kimi Antonelli has stepped up his game after a mixed rookie season that contained some definite highs, but also quite a few difficulties.

In doing so, he has overwhelmed George Russell, who has accepted and is more than willing to say that Antonelli has simply done a better job than him this season.

Antonelli's performances this year have lived up to the billing with which he came to F1 - that he could be the sport's next generational talent.

He has had some luck, and some of his wins have turned on fortune - safety cars in Japan and Madrid, for example.

But he has also performed at a level of consistent excellence, and produced some absolutely standout performances, most obviously Monaco, Monza and Austin.

The Mercedes has on average been the best car, but Antonelli is the only one of the team's two drivers who has always been a factor. He fully deserves the world title that he is almost certain to clinch this weekend in Mexico City.