Kimi Antonelli: 2026 F1 regulations will favor adaptable younger drivers
“I think so. Ground-effect cars aren’t easy to drive, especially at the beginning,” says 19-year-old Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli about the challenges facing drivers in Formula 1.
The young Italian talent believes today’s cars are particularly demanding on drivers both physically and mentally.
“It’s hard to get the most out of them, they’re physically demanding, very complex…” he explained in a recent interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.
Antonelli thinks the upcoming 2026 regulation changes might actually benefit the newer generation of drivers.
“Changing to something very different, as will be the case with the upcoming regulations, will be great because it will require everyone to be adaptable, hard-working, and flexible.”
His comments follow Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff’s recent assessment that drivers who excel in simulators could have an advantage when the new rules take effect. Wolff specifically mentioned Max Verstappen and George Russell as potential favorites.
The massive regulation changes coming in 2026 will completely transform F1 cars, with new power units and aerodynamic designs that could shuffle the competitive order.
For Antonelli, who’s quickly rising through Mercedes’ ranks, the timing couldn’t be better.
## All he wants for Christmas is a fast car
When asked about his Christmas wish, Antonelli’s answer was simple – a competitive car.
The teenager isn’t shy about his ambitions for 2026. He wants race victories and even hopes to challenge for the drivers’ championship in his first full season.
Despite his youth, Antonelli appears genuinely excited about what he’s already seen of the 2026 Mercedes car development in the wind tunnel.
Could this be the beginning of F1’s next young star? Time will tell.
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