Young Italian Kimi Antonelli, the youngest championship leader in Formula 1 history, will look to complete a hat-trick of early season wins this weekend as F1 returns after a month’s absence due to the Middle East war.
The 19-year-old Mercedes driver, who won in China and Japan, leads team-mate George Russell, who won the season-opening race in Australia, by nine points ahead of the start of another season, complete with revised rules and major car upgrades, at the Miami Grand Prix.
“After a month without any competition, we are ready to get back on track,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. “We have used this break to analyze the opening race, address our weaknesses and raise our level.
“We’ve had a good start to the season, but that counts for very little if you stand still. We know our competitors will have used this time to improve and build a deeper understanding of their cars so we expect the field to be closer to Miami.
“That’s the reality of F1 – it’s a challenge we have to face.”
Antonelli hit the headlines last year when the Italian, then aged 18, became the youngest pole-holder in any F1 format after qualifying for the long race and came home in jubilation.
