Martin Brundle has lauded Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s development during his second season, describing it as “quite extraordinary”. The Sky Sports analyst made the comments ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix.
Antonelli’s Rapid Rise at Mercedes
Following a high-pressure rookie season in 2025, the 19-year-old became the youngest driver to lead the championship. He has also secured three consecutive grands prix victories in China, Japan and Miami.
Brundle said that Antonelli has a strong support structure. He added, “They’re very lucky in that respect, but to keep his head and come back and shine. And then we saw Lando hunting him down in Miami, for example. Kimi of last year would probably run off the track somewhere, but this year he’s just rock solid. And that kind of progress at his age is just quite extraordinary.”
Chadwick’s Perspective on Antonelli’s Impact
Jamie Chadwick, also on the Sky Sports F1 broadcast, described Antonelli as “a bit of a young pup”. She added, “He’s come in with this amazing energy, and I think the team have really enjoyed that, appreciated that.”
Chadwick noted Antonelli’s performance, stating, “I think even the fact that he’s half a tenth off George here, at a track George loves, knows well, he’s pushing him so hard and not really making that many mistakes now.”
Chadwick reflected on earlier discussions about Antonelli’s potential, saying, “We spoke about it a lot last year: is he a generational talent or not? I think time will obviously tell, but he’s definitely exceeding my expectations anyway for this season.”
She concluded, “His second year in Formula 1, he started out not many years ago racing, but it’s such a fast-track journey that he’s had. But the fact that he’s got to this point and he’s competing at the level that he’s competing at, with the way Formula 1 is now, which is so complex, is super impressive.”