Verstappen F1 2026: “I’m Not Going to Catch Antonelli”

Max Verstappen admits he does not expect to fight back in the 2026 title race, while Kimi Antonelli keeps a huge lead with the season entering its final stage.

Antonelli has built a huge championship advantage

The Verstappen F1 2026 title fight has taken a different direction after the Madrid Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli won the race and extended his lead in the Drivers’ Championship.

The Mercedes rookie now has 292 points after 14 Grands Prix. He has also taken eight victories and 12 podiums during his first Formula 1 season.

George Russell remains second in the standings. However, the gap to his teammate has grown significantly.

After the Madrid race, Russell admitted that his own title hopes had become much smaller. The Briton can no longer rely only on winning every remaining race while finishing second behind Antonelli.

That leaves Verstappen as another driver watching the championship battle from behind.

The Red Bull driver knows that Antonelli’s advantage is now extremely difficult to overcome.

Antonelli does not want to think too far ahead.

The Italian has continued to focus on each race rather than the championship calculation. That approach has helped him maintain consistency during a remarkable first full season.

Verstappen believes that is exactly what Antonelli should continue doing.

“Kimi simply has to keep doing what he is doing,” Verstappen said. He also stressed that the Mercedes driver should not put unnecessary pressure on himself.

The Dutchman knows the situation because he experienced a very different title fight one year earlier.

In 2025, Verstappen managed to close a large points deficit after the summer break. He finished every remaining Grand Prix on the podium and kept his championship challenge alive.

This season, however, the circumstances are very different.

Verstappen jokes about a comeback

When Verstappen was asked what advice he would give Antonelli for the decisive part of the season, George Russell joked that perhaps his rivals were expecting another comeback.

Verstappen immediately replied with a smile.

“I’m definitely not going to come back!”

The comment reflected his current championship position.

The Red Bull driver can still fight for race victories. However, his focus is no longer built around a dramatic points recovery similar to last season.

Verstappen has yet to win a Grand Prix in 2026. A victory would also be significant for another reason: without one, this would be his first season without a Grand Prix win since his debut campaign in 2015.

Still, Verstappen does not believe Antonelli should change his approach.

The Red Bull driver praised the youngster’s confidence and his ability to continue performing without making unnecessary changes.

Antonelli has already shown that he can handle pressure, even though he remains at a very early stage of his Formula 1 career.

That is one reason Verstappen believes the Mercedes driver should avoid becoming distracted by the championship standings.

The current numbers are already remarkable.

Antonelli has eight wins, 12 podiums and six pole positions after 14 Grands Prix. He has also scored points in every race except for his single retirement.

Those results have created a substantial gap at the top.

Mercedes is also leading the Constructors’ Championship with 503 points, adding another layer to its dominant 2026 campaign.

Norris does not want to give Antonelli advice

Lando Norris has taken an even more cautious approach.

The McLaren driver says there is little reason for rivals to give Antonelli advice because the young Italian is already performing at an exceptional level.

Norris highlighted the size of Antonelli’s advantage and his ability to beat a teammate with far more Formula 1 experience.

That teammate is Russell, a driver who already has years of experience at the highest level.

Norris also pointed to Antonelli’s age.

The Mercedes driver is only 20 years old, yet he has already become the championship leader after his second season in Formula 1.

His performance has been particularly impressive because he has made relatively few major mistakes during the season.

For Norris, that combination makes Antonelli a major long-term rival.

The title fight is therefore not only about 2026. The drivers around Antonelli already expect him to remain a major competitor in future seasons.

For now, though, the Italian’s priority is simple.

Keep winning. Keep scoring points. Avoid unnecessary pressure.

That is also Verstappen’s main message.

The Dutchman knows there are still races left to run, but he has no intention of pretending that this championship fight is developing like his 2025 comeback.

Antonelli has created a substantial advantage, and the current numbers confirm the scale of his lead.

Verstappen can still fight for victories, but Antonelli controls the championship from the front.

The remaining races will decide whether the Mercedes rookie can turn that advantage into his first Formula 1 world title.