Monaco GP: Kimi Antonelli joins the chorus: “Ferrari are the favourites”
As Formula 1 prepares for the Monaco Grand Prix, the sixth round of the 2026 World Championship, a clear narrative is beginning to take shape throughout the paddock: Ferrari’s SF-26 is increasingly being viewed as the car to beat on the streets of Monte Carlo.
That belief has gained momentum in recent days thanks to comments from several prominent figures, both current competitors and former stars of the sport, all pointing towards Ferrari as the leading contender for victory in the Principality.
Ferrari at the centre of the paddock’s psychological battle
It began with comments from Lando Norris and McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya then shared a similar opinion. Now, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has also added his name to the growing list.
The Mercedes driver arrives in Monaco as the leader of the Drivers’ Championship and fresh from his victory in Montreal. Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after his Canadian Grand Prix triumph, Antonelli left little room for doubt when discussing who he expects to lead the way this weekend.
“I think Ferrari will be the team to beat in Monaco,” Kimi Antonelli said. “It will be really interesting to see how we perform there, but I believe Ferrari starts as the favourite because even with this rear-wing configuration they are still able to generate a lot of downforce through the low-speed corners.”
The young Italian remains cautious despite his assessment.
“It will definitely be interesting. From my side, I’ll try to do my best, put myself in the strongest possible position and achieve the best result I can.”
His comments further reinforce the growing perception that the characteristics of the Monaco street circuit could highlight some of the SF-26’s strongest qualities. Low-speed corners, mechanical grip and aerodynamic efficiency are all areas where Ferrari is expected to perform particularly well.
Lewis Hamilton boosts Ferrari optimism, but Mercedes remains the benchmark
Additional support for this theory came from Lewis Hamilton following the Canadian Grand Prix. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion pointed out that Monaco presents a completely different challenge compared to Montreal, where Ferrari’s power deficit appeared to be a significant limitation.
“Monaco is one of those tracks where power isn’t the dominant factor,” Lewis Hamilton explained. “What matters there is mainly the quality of the car. I think our car can be really competitive.”
The British driver also highlighted how the SF-26 is capable of matching its rivals through technical sections, only to lose ground on longer straights.
“We can stay with them through the corners, but then on the straights we lose time. You gain it back under braking and in the more technical sections, but as soon as they accelerate, they pull away again. It’s a difficult situation to manage.”
That is precisely why many observers see Monaco as a major opportunity for Ferrari. The circuit’s low average speeds, combined with the importance of chassis performance, mechanical traction and low-speed aerodynamic load, could help mask some of the power-related weaknesses that have been exposed so far this season.
Mercedes still arrives as the championship reference point
However, it would be a mistake to view Mercedes as merely an outsider this weekend.
While much of the paddock continues to identify Ferrari as the favourite, the statistics tell a different story. The Brackley-based team arrives in Monaco after winning each of the opening five races of the 2026 Formula 1 season, a remarkable run that underlines both the quality of its car and the strength of its overall technical package.
For that reason, the growing number of comments favouring Ferrari could also be interpreted as part of Formula 1’s traditional psychological game.
Shifting pressure onto rivals while reducing expectations within your own camp has long been a common strategy throughout motorsport, and Formula 1 is no exception. Whether intentional or not, the repeated suggestions that Ferrari is the favourite inevitably place additional scrutiny on the Maranello team heading into one of the most demanding weekends of the season.
As always, the final answer will come from the track.
Monaco is unlike any other circuit on the Formula 1 calendar and could genuinely play to the strengths of the SF-26. Yet until someone manages to end Mercedes’ perfect winning streak, it remains difficult not to regard Antonelli’s team as the true benchmark of the 2026 championship.
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