Hamilton names Antonelli and Mercedes as Formula 1 season favorites
In Madrid, Spain, seven-time Formula 1 champion and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton, after retiring from the Spanish Grand Prix, said that in his opinion Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes will no longer lose the titles this season. This was reported by Channel NewsAsia.
Championship situation
Twenty-year-old Antonelli has won eight of the 14 races this season. After the Spanish round, he leads Hamilton, who is third in the overall standings, by 101 points.
The Italian's closest pursuer is his Mercedes teammate George Russell. He trails the championship leader by 81 points. In the constructors' standings, Mercedes hold a 145-point advantage over second-placed Ferrari. Defending champions McLaren are a further 52 points behind Ferrari.
Hamilton's retirement
Hamilton started fourth and moved up to third on the opening lap, but retired on lap seven due to a brake problem. It was his first race of the season without scoring points.
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After the race, the Briton said Antonelli and Mercedes would be difficult to stop this year and praised the team's work. Antonelli replaced Hamilton at Mercedes after the 2024 season.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who finished second in Madrid, also said he does not expect to return to the title fight. He trails Antonelli by 147 points. Defending champion Lando Norris of McLaren, who is fourth and 106 points behind the leader, also highly praised the Italian's performance.
Antonelli has led for 13 races in a row. A week earlier, he became the first Italian since 1966 to win the home Grand Prix at Monza. The driver stressed that despite his significant advantage, he must continue working and take every opportunity until the end of the season.
