Aced It: Antonelli’s Canadian Grand Slam Leaves the Paddock Chasing Mulligans
With four consecutive wins and a 43-point cushion, Mercedes’ wunderkind is playing a different game while his rivals find themselves stuck in the long grass.
While the rest of the grid is still checking their yardage, Kimi Antonelli has already put the 2026 championship on the green. Following his latest triumph at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the Italian sensation has now racked up four consecutive victories — a run through China, Japan, Miami, and now Montreal that feels less like a title charge and more like a clinic. With 131 points and four wins already in the bag, Antonelli is starting to make the Mercedes cockpit look as comfortable as a private clubhouse locker.
The fallout from Canada has been particularly brutal for his teammate, George Russell. Despite being Kimi's closest challenger, Russell’s terminal technical failure in Montreal has seen the gap balloon to 43 points. While George remains stuck on 88 points with a single win to his name, Antonelli is increasingly looking like the paddock’s scratch golfer, executing a flawless short game while everyone else is scrambling from the bunkers. Even the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, sitting on 75 and 72 points respectively, have yet to find the top step of the podium this season.
Despite the commanding lead, Antonelli isn't ready to head to the 19th hole just yet. The Mercedes protege has vowed to 'keep levelling up,' insisting that he cannot afford to relax as the season progresses. It’s a terrifying prospect for the rest of the field; the man with the championship lead is behaving as if he’s still fighting for a spot on the tour. If this momentum continues, the Silver Arrows’ internal rivalry might be settled well before we reach the season's final back nine.
Lando Norris and McLaren remain in the hunt with 58 points, but the pace at the front set by Antonelli is redefining the expectations for 2026. As the circus moves on from Montreal, the narrative has shifted from a Mercedes civil war to a masterclass in dominance. For now, Antonelli is hitting every fairway, while Russell and the Ferraris are left praying for a change in the wind.
"I can’t relax despite moving 43 points clear. I have to keep levelling up."
Kimi Antonelli’s four-race win streak has fundamentally broken the championship tension earlier than expected. With Mercedes dominating and their lead driver refusing to decelerate, the narrative shifts to whether Russell or the Ferrari veterans can find a technical 'club' to counter the Italian's raw speed.
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Reported by the Downforce & Divots desk from the sources above.
The clubhouse.
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