McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s swift advancement in Formula 1 has established a high benchmark that Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli will find difficult to meet, according to F1 analyst Bernie Collins. Since his debut for McLaren in 2023, the 24-year-old Piastri has demonstrated remarkable improvement in performance, pace, and consistency, even though his championship quest unraveled last season.
In only his third F1 year, Piastri emerged as a serious contender for the 2025 title, at one point leading the drivers’ standings for more days than any other competitor—189 out of 266. However, the lead he held over teammate Lando Norris by 34 points eventually flipped into a 13-point deficit by the season’s close.
Antonelli began his F1 career with Mercedes in 2025 after succeeding Lewis Hamilton. Although Collins acknowledged his early promise, she emphasized that the 19-year-old still has much to master. Even at his peak so far, Antonelli has not yet reached the level of teammate George Russell.
Assessing the Prospects for Antonelli and the 2026 Season
Collins anticipates a competitive year in 2026 featuring both McLaren’s Piastri and Norris, as well as Mercedes’ Russell and Antonelli. This expectation comes amid widespread belief that Mercedes has engineered the strongest power unit under the new technical regulations, boasting a balanced blend of electrical and combustion energy.
Despite Antonelli’s ambitions to secure the 2026 championship, Collins cautions against assuming he will replicate Piastri’s rapid ascent. She points out that Piastri’s progress was extraordinary and should not be considered the standard for others to match.
Speaking on Sky Sports F1 after the second practice session at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, Collins remarked,
“I think the Mercedes and McLaren obviously running the same engine, we expected that to be the strongest of the field. It [the engine] didn’t show all its cards probably through testing, and it definitely didn’t show it in FP1 this morning, either.”
She added,
“So, I think there’s more to come from all of those drivers to the point where we were talking to Jenson [Button] about can Kimi take the step?”
On Piastri’s development last year, Collins said,
“Oscar, over the past year, has made phenomenal steps in the race pace that he’s showing, in his consistency. Obviously, there were still a few races through last year that he didn’t get the most out of the car.”
“But I don’t think we can necessarily expect that from Kimi, because I think Oscar’s rate and improvement has been phenomenal. We can’t use that as the benchmark for everyone else, because Kimi had ups and downs through last year. If he can bring the highs of that, I think George still maybe has the upper hand with that.” – Bernie Collins, F1 Analyst
The Importance of Antonelli Overcoming Setbacks in His Second Season
Antonelli began his Formula 1 journey with several notable achievements, including becoming the youngest driver to record the fastest lap and lead a race at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2025, as well as earning the youngest pole position in the Miami Sprint. His first season concluded on a high with powerful performances that hinted at significant potential.
Mercedes witnessed a major breakthrough in his campaign during the 2025 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, where Antonelli secured second place in both the Sprint and the main race in Brazil. However, the challenges that followed have tested his confidence and resilience.
Following a Mercedes rear suspension update, Antonelli’s form dipped dramatically, managing just one points finish in seven races. Between rounds seven and thirteen, he struggled to adapt to the technical changes, which Mercedes later admitted was a flawed upgrade.
How Antonelli manages these difficulties and rebuilds his confidence amid high expectations will be crucial to his progress in the 2026 season. His ability to respond to adversity could influence both his personal development and Mercedes’ competitiveness in the championship battle.
