Lando Norris praises Kimi Antonelli ahead of US GP title shot.
Reigning world champion Lando Norris has described Kimi Antonelli’s 2026 season as “two levels above” that of Mercedes team-mate George Russell, as the 20-year-old moves to the brink of the Formula 1 drivers’ title. The comments came ahead of the United States Grand Prix, where Antonelli has his first opportunity to seal the championship.
Norris, who won his own maiden crown with McLaren last year, was candid in his assessment of the battle inside the Mercedes garage. While he praised Russell as a very good driver, he left no doubt about who he believes has been the stronger of the two this year.
Norris Delivers His Verdict on Antonelli’s Season
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Norris said Antonelli has performed “two levels above” Russell throughout the campaign. He called the Italian’s work “a pretty incredible job” and added that he is sure the whole world knows it.
Norris stressed that his praise for Antonelli did not come at the expense of respect for Russell. He rates the British driver highly, describing him as very good. But the gap between the two Mercedes drivers over the course of 2026, in his view, speaks for itself. “I don’t need to say it, I think it’s obvious enough,” Norris said.
The remarks carry weight because of who is making them. Norris is the sitting champion and was one of the drivers Antonelli had to beat on his way to the top of the standings this season.
Antonelli’s 102-Point Championship Lead With Six Races Left
The numbers back up Norris’s view. Antonelli arrives at the United States Grand Prix with a 102-point lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, with six races still to run. That cushion leaves him all but assured of succeeding Norris as world champion.
Russell and Lewis Hamilton are his nearest challengers in the standings. Both would need a dramatic collapse in Antonelli’s form, or a run of results going entirely their way, to keep the fight alive deep into the final stretch of the season.
For a driver in only his second year in Formula 1, the position is remarkable. Antonelli has led the standings for much of the season and has turned an early-year duel with Russell into a one-sided title run.
How Antonelli Could Clinch the F1 Title at the US Grand Prix
Antonelli can become the sport’s youngest-ever world champion as early as this Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas. The scenario is demanding. He must win the race, and his closest rivals, Russell and Hamilton, must not score enough points to remain in mathematical contention.
That means the title is more likely to be decided in the races that follow than in Austin. Even so, the opportunity alone underlines how quickly the championship has swung in his favour. If he does not wrap it up this weekend, his lead leaves him with several more chances before the season ends.
Hamilton also spoke warmly about his successor at Mercedes ahead of the weekend, adding to the chorus of respect from the paddock’s most decorated names.
From Suzuka to the Brink: Antonelli’s Rise Through 2026
Antonelli’s season has been built on a run of statement performances. He took his first Grand Prix victory in China, then won in Japan two weeks later, a result that made him the youngest driver in Formula 1 history to lead the world championship standings at just 19.
He followed that with victory in Miami, where he held off Norris to claim a third straight win and extend his lead over Russell. Later in the year he won back-to-back races in Italy and Spain, stretching his advantage to 81 points at that stage.
Norris did fight back. The McLaren driver won in Hungary and the Netherlands, producing a daring pass on Antonelli at Zandvoort, and was widely discussed as the Italian’s most dangerous rival. But Antonelli’s consistency kept the margin large, and it has only grown since.
The turnaround on the Mercedes side of the garage was just as striking. Russell opened the year by winning the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and began 2026 as the clear favourite for the title. Antonelli’s pace in the weeks that followed changed that picture completely.
What It Means for Russell, Mercedes and the 2026 Title Race
For Russell, Norris’s comments land as a difficult but fair summary of a season that began with high expectations. He has remained in the top group of the standings, yet he has not been able to match the results of the driver alongside him.
For Mercedes, the situation is a success story. The team promoted Antonelli after Hamilton’s departure for Ferrari, and the faith placed in him is now on the verge of being rewarded with a drivers’ championship. Few outside the team expected it to happen so soon.
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For Antonelli, the next few races offer the chance to turn a dominant season into history. If he secures the crown, he will take the record as the youngest world champion the sport has seen, and he will do so after beating a team-mate widely regarded as one of the best drivers on the grid.
Whether the celebrations begin in Austin or at a later round, the verdict from the reigning champion is already clear. Norris believes Antonelli has been the outstanding driver of 2026, and the standings say the same.
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