Kimi Antonelli praised Mercedes’ strategic execution after securing his ninth victory of the 2026 F1 season at the United States GP, describing the Austin weekend as one of his strongest performances in Formula 1. The Italian converted pole position into a commanding victory at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), finishing 13.078 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen completed the podium.
Antonelli controlled the 56-lap race through a successful one-stop strategy, extending his opening stint on the medium tyres before switching to the hard compound. Although his closest rivals opted for two-stop strategies, neither could match the Mercedes driver’s consistency over the race distance.
The victory strengthened Antonelli’s position in the Drivers’ Championship, extending his advantage over teammate George Russell to 123 points with five races remaining. However, Russell’s eighth-place finish and Lewis Hamilton’s fourth ensured that the championship battle would continue into the Mexican GP.
Antonelli ranks 2026 United States GP victory among his strongest F1 performances
Antonelli entered the United States GP with his first mathematical opportunity to secure the 2026 Drivers’ Championship. However, the Mercedes driver concentrated on maximising his performance throughout the weekend, beginning with an impressive pole position during Saturday’s Qualifying session. The Italian subsequently controlled Sunday’s race from the front, combining a strong start with consistent pace and effective tyre management as Mercedes committed to a one-stop strategy.
Reflecting on the result, Antonelli considered the gradual improvements throughout the weekend particularly important, highlighting the collective effort behind his victory.
“Yeah, I think it was one of the best, because of how we built up during the weekend. And, you know, it was a great team effort as well today, especially with the strategy, believing in the one-stop. And, yeah, it was a really great team effort, and they all deserve this result today.”
The victory extended Antonelli’s impressive 2026 record to nine wins from 18 Grands Prix, further strengthening his championship position. However, rather than focusing exclusively on the result, the Italian emphasised Mercedes’ ability to develop its performance throughout the weekend and execute its strategy effectively under pressure.
Mercedes commits to one-stop strategy despite early concerns
Although Antonelli ultimately secured a comfortable victory, Mercedes initially faced uncertainty over whether its planned one-stop strategy would prove competitive. Verstappen made his first pit stop at the beginning of Lap 14, committing Red Bull to a two-stop approach, while Antonelli remained on the medium compound.
The Mercedes driver acknowledged that he initially had concerns about the decision, particularly as his rivals began making progress on fresher tyres. Nevertheless, the medium compound eventually delivered more consistent performance, allowing Antonelli to extend his opening stint without losing significant time.
“I was a bit concerned in the beginning, but, you know, then we were able to extend, and actually the pace came back with the Medium, and we were able to extend without losing too much time. And, yeah, so then, as you know, after doing the first stint on the Medium, we were like, ‘Oh, right, we’re going to go for one-stop.’ And the hard, to be fair, felt very robust, so I felt pretty confident to go all the way to the end. I just didn’t know how much management was required, but, yeah, it was good, and the car felt very good today.”
Mercedes subsequently committed to a single stop, switching Antonelli to the hard tyres for the remainder of the race. The decision allowed him to maintain competitive lap times throughout his second stint while Leclerc and Verstappen continued their pursuit through alternative strategies.
Antonelli explains unexpected advantage of hard tyres at the 2026 F1 United States GP
One of the decisive factors in Sunday’s race was the unexpected performance difference between Pirelli’s tyre compounds. While Verstappen selected the soft compound for his opening stint, Antonelli started on mediums, with Mercedes lacking a fresh set of soft tyres.
The Italian explained that his team had limited flexibility when selecting its starting compound, although the decision ultimately worked in his favour as the harder rubber proved considerably more resilient than expected. The performance contrasted with previous races, where softer compounds had often provided the strongest race pace.
“I mean, we didn’t have much choice, to be fair. We didn’t have any new Softs, so the new Medium was the only choice we really had, or the Hard. But, you know, the Medium was not amazing. I think today the best tyre was the Hard, just because it was the most resilient tyre, and it was quite surprising because in recent races the Soft has always been probably the best tyre. So, yeah, it was a good surprise, and luckily it worked for us.”
The differing tyre strategies became central to the United States GP race, with Verstappen and Leclerc attempting to recover time through additional pit stops. Antonelli, meanwhile, concentrated on maintaining consistent pace, preserving his tyres and managing his advantage without requiring another stop.
Antonelli credits communication with Bonnington for successful final stint
Although the hard compound proved decisive, Antonelli entered the second stint with limited information about how the tyres would perform over a longer distance. Mercedes had used the compound during Friday’s FP1 session, but the Italian had not completed an extended run, leaving him uncertain about the level of management required.
Consequently, he maintained regular communication with race engineer Peter Bonnington, adjusting his approach as he gained confidence in the tyres’ durability. Antonelli also highlighted the progress Mercedes had made with race starts, having struggled with launches earlier in the campaign.
“Yeah, I mean, the start definitely is something we’ve improved massively. We were nowhere at the beginning of the season, and now we’re good, so that’s definitely one less thing to worry about. And about the Hard stint, yeah, I mean, there was constant communication with Bono because, obviously, we only used it in FP1 but I didn’t even do a long run on the Hard, so I didn’t know how much I could push or how much I had to manage. But, you know, after the first few laps, it felt pretty robust, so I was just able to do my pace. And, yeah, to be fair, today the Hard was probably the best tyre in the race. But no, definitely, every race you do, you get more and more experience, and you’re able to handle a different situation in a better way.”
Opening-lap battles help Antonelli establish early advantage on Sunday at the 2026 F1 United States GP
Antonelli also benefited from the battles unfolding immediately behind him during the opening lap. While the Mercedes driver maintained the lead from pole position, Verstappen came under pressure from Leclerc and Hamilton as the Ferrari drivers challenged through the opening corners. Leclerc moved ahead of Verstappen before the Dutchman reclaimed second later in the lap, with their exchanges allowing Antonelli to establish an early advantage. The Italian subsequently extended that gap as the race progressed, while the drivers behind continued fighting for the remaining podium positions.
During the post-race press conference, Verstappen reflected on his opening-lap exchanges with Leclerc and Hamilton, including their close battle through Turns 12 to 15. Although the Red Bull driver enjoyed the racing, he acknowledged that their fight had allowed Antonelli to pull further ahead. The Mercedes driver responded with a light-hearted admission: “Yeah, it definitely made my life a bit easier!”
With his rivals occupied behind him, Antonelli concentrated on controlling the race from the front. Leclerc eventually recovered to finish second, while Verstappen completed the podium after encountering difficulties with Red Bull’s tyre strategy and power unit performance.
Mercedes upgrades continue delivering improvements
Beyond the successful strategy, Antonelli credited Mercedes’ recent development package for the team’s stronger performance in Austin. The Brackley-based outfit introduced aerodynamic upgrades at Sepang and continued evaluating their effectiveness across subsequent rounds, although it initially struggled to extract consistent gains.
Antonelli had already highlighted progress with the package during Friday’s Free Practice sessions, particularly through the faster sections of COTA, and reiterated those improvements following Sunday’s victory. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Mercedes continued encountering difficulties in slower corners, leaving the team with further areas to address.
“In some places, I would say, still not as much as we expected, but in other places it is delivering very well. You know, I think in the high- and medium-speed the car is very strong. The balance is good. We’re still struggling a little bit in low speed with front locking, but overall, I feel like the package is finally starting to deliver, and we’re starting to see the results and the improvements from the package.”
The improvements contributed to Antonelli’s seventh pole position of the campaign before allowing him to maintain competitive pace throughout Sunday’s race. While the package has begun delivering stronger results, Mercedes will continue working to address its remaining weaknesses as the championship enters its final rounds.
Antonelli compares Austin victory with remarkable Monza recovery
Antonelli also compared his United States GP triumph with his earlier victory at Monza, where he recovered from the back of the grid to secure one of the most memorable results of his campaign. The Italian acknowledged that Mercedes had possessed a particularly strong car during the Italian GP, allowing him to progress through the field at a circuit where overtaking opportunities were relatively plentiful.
However, he distinguished that performance from his victory in Austin, where Mercedes had built its competitiveness progressively throughout the weekend before executing an effective strategy on Sunday. For Antonelli, the difference lay in the team’s overall execution rather than the scale of the recovery.
“Yeah, I mean, Monza, we clearly had the fastest car. We were just super quick, so of course it was incredibly special coming from the back. But it was also a track where it was relatively easy to overtake, and we were so quick.
He continued, “But definitely, Monza was a super special one, and one that I will remember forever. But, you know, this one probably, in terms of execution, was better, because the way we built up and the way we built the performance throughout the weekend was very good.”
While Antonelli continues to regard Monza as a particularly memorable victory, his assessment of Austin reflected the satisfaction he gained from Mercedes’ improvement across the weekend. The result also demonstrated the team’s ability to execute a different strategy from its closest competitors while maintaining control of the race.
Antonelli credits support network for managing championship pressure
The United States GP presented Antonelli with a different challenge as the possibility of securing his maiden World Championship attracted considerable attention throughout the weekend.
The Italian arrived in Austin holding a substantial championship advantage, with the mathematical possibility of becoming Formula 1’s youngest World Champion if he secured victory and his closest rivals failed to score sufficiently.
Despite those expectations, Antonelli secured pole position and followed it with a commanding victory, maintaining his focus on maximising his performance rather than calculating the championship outcome. When asked whether he had surprised himself by delivering one of his strongest weekends under such circumstances, he credited his support network for helping him manage the pressure.
“Yeah, I mean, to be fair, I’m very lucky because I have a very good group of people around me. In the team, I have my father, who always comes, then my performance coach. I just have a great group of people around me that help me to be more relaxed and not worry about these kinds of things. They help me to block out the noise, and that’s also what’s been allowing me to enjoy the weekend and perform. I think, obviously, there’s been a lot of talk. I’m not going to lie, on Thursday there was a lot of talk about the championship and stuff, and I just tried not to worry about that at all and just tried to deliver the best result I could. Today was a very important result for me and for the team.”
Antonelli reflects on consistency throughout 2026 F1 season
Antonelli’s victory in Austin marked his ninth win of the season, further extending his advantage in the Drivers’ Championship and bringing him closer to his maiden World Championship. Although the Italian has established a commanding lead, he acknowledged that his campaign has also included situations where he could have performed more effectively.
With five rounds remaining, Antonelli intends to maintain his approach while continuing to evaluate areas for improvement, particularly regarding his decision-making and mindset during difficult moments. He explained that he would conduct a more comprehensive assessment of his performances once the season concludes.
“Well, for sure, it’s been a good surprise, this season so far. Of course, it’s still not over. There are still a few races where I just want to do well and still try to fight for wins. It would be good to finish on a high. But, yeah, definitely looking back at the season, there are still things to work on and improve, on the mindset in certain situations or the way I handle a few scenarios. So, for sure, at the end of the season, I will have more time to look back at things: what went well, what could have been better. But definitely, it’s been a very consistent season so far, and we’ll try to keep it that way until the end.”
Despite identifying opportunities for improvement, Antonelli expressed satisfaction with the consistency he has demonstrated throughout the campaign. His focus remains on sustaining that level of performance rather than changing his approach as the title draws closer.
Antonelli identifies mistakes he wants to address
When asked to identify specific areas for improvement, Antonelli reflected on several incidents from earlier in the season. The Italian highlighted a mistake during FP3 in Australia, a difficult start in Japan and a track limits infringement during the Miami Sprint as examples of situations where he believes he could have executed more effectively.
Although those incidents did not prevent him from establishing a substantial championship advantage, Antonelli considers them important learning opportunities as he continues developing his racecraft and decision-making.
“I mean, first of all, Australia FP3, the mistake. Japan, I had a bad execution at the start. Then Miami as well, the Sprint race, just throwing away points as well with track limits. Yeah, track limits has been the bigger thing for me.”
Verstappen subsequently interrupted with a light-hearted observation that Antonelli had only committed one such infringement, prompting the Mercedes driver to clarify his broader concerns. Antonelli also acknowledged that his approach to certain Qualifying sessions had not always been ideal, identifying his mindset as another area for improvement.
“Yeah, only one! it was good today. But definitely, these kinds of situations, and then also in some of the qualifying sessions, I just didn’t go in with the right mindset. So, yeah, just making sure I improve those.”
Antonelli approaches Mexican GP with unchanged championship mindset
Although Antonelli could not secure the Drivers’ Championship in Austin, his victory has placed him considerably closer to claiming the title. The Mercedes driver leaves the United States with 365 points, holding a 123-point advantage over Russell and a 124-point lead over Hamilton, with 125 points still available across the final five Grands Prix.
Consequently, Antonelli needs just two more points to guarantee his maiden World Championship, regardless of his closest rivals’ results. Nevertheless, the Italian intends to maintain the same approach that delivered his ninth victory of the season rather than allowing the championship situation to influence his preparation for Mexico City.
“I mean, I’m going to approach it with the same mindset, just trying to have as much fun as possible, trying to hopefully fight for another win. But, yeah, it would be best to finish on a high, and that’s the goal. But, yeah, I’m just going to try to enjoy the rest of the season from now on.”
With another victory secured and Mercedes demonstrating improved performance from its latest upgrades, Antonelli heads to the Mexican GP looking to extend his winning run. Having already established himself as the dominant championship contender, he now has an opportunity to become Formula 1’s youngest World Champion while continuing to pursue further victories before the season concludes.
