5 days ago
18
Every time there is a glimmer, a ray of light behind the curtain, Kimi Antonelli closes the shutters, and the chances of a world championship fight breaking out are finished again.
His latest example of this knack came in Madrid, when he won a race he never should have done.
The victim of ill-fortune here was Lando Norris, who finished third, a place back from Max Verstappen. For the Briton was in command of the Spanish Grand Prix at its shiny new venue on the outskirts of the capital, as he transformed a fabulous pole into a lead over the 20-year-old Antonelli of more than six seconds in the course of 15 laps.
Norris's McLaren is seriously fast after upgrades that show his team under the serious technical leadership of the quietly spoken but impressively methodical Andrea Stella understand the demands of this year's new regulations.
And Norris was, therefore, on the scent of his third win in four races, driving more assuredly than Antonelli, who at least twice ran off the track but was holding on in second place. And, then, a stroke of fortune fell Antonelli's way.
This occurred as Lance Stroll's Aston Martin went into the wall, his brakes apparently cooked. A virtual safety car was deployed. By this stage Norris was beyond the pit-lane entrance. Antonelli was not, and was called in. He was afforded the cheap stop as the action was slowed and Stroll's machine cleared.
Kimi Antonelli celebrates on the podium after winning a race he never should have done
A stroke of fortune fell the Italian's way as he strengthened his grip on the championship
Lando Norris had been leading the way before making a mess of a change of rubber
Next lap, lo and behold, Norris was called in for a change of rubber that lasted a yawning 7.0sec. A mess. The world champion came out in fifth place and 13sec back from Antonelli. How fortunes change.
Norris's chances were extinguished in that brief phase of the race, and it is the Italian who is edging by degrees towards the world title at the youngest age ever, even eclipsing the then 23-year-old Sebastian Vettel. And this in only his second season.
Before us, the truths of Formula One are being redrawn. The old verity that experience counts and you must bide your time is being ripped up as never before.
Antonelli has won eight times this campaign, including unforgettably at Monza a week ago in front of his home crowd. He was cheered and rhapsodised, though his success was in a way only compensation for the partisans after Ferrari performed disappointingly.
He has also gained from the affection and favours of his Mercedes team, from boss Toto Wolff down (my assertion, which they deny). Poor George Russell is hardly the chosen one there. But, it has to be admitted, that in all racing teams love is lavished on the faster of every given pair, and that character is the man-child called Kimi. Russell has won just twice in 2026.
Mercedes believe they have found their star, their future, and who can say they are wrong? Antonelli certainly looks unbeatable this season. The arithmetic supports the assertion. His lead over Russell, who finished fifth, is 81 points with nine rounds remaining.
As for Norris? He is 106 points adrift, which leaves him with an uphill task almost as steep as the North Ridge of Everest.
And Lewis Hamilton, who retired six laps in with brake problems, is barely better placed 101 off the summit. Ferrari are too error-prone and Hamilton is not quite as good as he once was – though he is admittedly rejuvenated this season compared to last – and it will be tough for him to scale the eighth world title he wants to leave as his lifetime's mark.
He clashed with Verstappen on the opening lap. Verstappen passed Hamilton and clawed his way into second place. 'He has to give the place back,' implored the Briton.
Verstappen countered: 'He was out of control.'
Red Bull told Verstappen to yield. He has never been known to pull out of an arm wrestle, and he gave his race engineer and pal Gianpiero Lambiase a blast of industrial language. 'Mate, what the f*** are you guys going on about? We would have shunted.'
After the tough talk, he yielded. But, in a boring race, pretty much devoid of overtaking, Verstappen did hand the place back. But soon Hamilton was plummeting down the field with his technical problems.
'I hit the brake, the car started stopping and then the pedal took a step and, all of a sudden, the car didn't decelerate as fast as it would normally,' explained Hamilton.
Charles Leclerc got the other Ferrari home in fourth place, having led for a long period prior to his late stop. Antonelli resumed the lead, coming home 4.3sec ahead of runner-up Verstappen. Norris harried his pal to the line, just 0.7sec back, in taking the final podium place.
The last words here centre on Antonelli. 'Beautiful work, an absolute masterclass,' eulogised Peter Bonnington, his race engineer.
'Bono', once the voice in Hamilton's ear during his glory days, is chivvying his new student all the way to what now seems to be an inevitable title a few months out of his teens.
