Here is the thing about Formula 1 expectations: they usually crush people. But according to Motorsport.com, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli is destined to surpass Sebastian Vettel's haul of four world titles.
Antonelli is right on the doorstep of sealing his maiden championship. If he finishes in the top nine at this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver will claim the crown at 20 years old, breaking Vettel's long-standing record as the youngest champion in F1 history, which was set back in 2010. Vettel famously dominated that era, stringing together four consecutive titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013.
The championships are moving closer, but our mindset does not change. Thinking about the outcome won’t help us achieve it,
Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner did not hesitate when asked if Antonelli's future would eclipse Vettel's. "Absolutely," Steiner said. He acknowledged Vettel's skill while offering a sharp assessment of the German's career trajectory: "I mean Vettel was good, but I mean Vettel was also at the right time, at the right place. But if you see when he went to Ferrari, there was not a lot left. Sebastian was very good, but he was not an exceptional talent like Max, or I think Kimi will be." When pressed directly on whether Antonelli would collect more than four championships, Steiner gave a simple affirmative.
The numbers backing up this hype are wild. Driving for Mercedes, Antonelli seized control of the drivers' championship during his second season in F1 following consecutive victories at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix, bringing his total win tally to nine. He arrives at the current standings leading the field with 365 points, comfortably ahead of his Mercedes team-mate George Russell in second with 242 points, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton sitting third on 241 points.
Despite the impending milestone, the team refuses to get ahead of itself. "The championships are moving closer, but our mindset does not change. Thinking about the outcome won’t help us achieve it," Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff noted in the Brackley outfit's Mexican Grand Prix preview. "We will stay disciplined, take each session as it comes, and concentrate on doing the fundamentals well."
It is not just the drivers' trophy that could be wrapped up this weekend, either. Mercedes also holds a massive opportunity to lock down the constructors' championship, sitting atop the standings with 607 points following the United States Grand Prix, holding a 133-point cushion over Ferrari, who trail with 474 points.
