Andrea Kimi Antonelli has warned that Ferrari will be “extremely strong” at the Hungarian Grand Prix after claiming his sixth Formula 1 victory of the season at Spa-Francorchamps. The Mercedes driver leaves Belgium with a 45-point championship lead over Lewis Hamilton, but he is already expecting a significantly tougher challenge from the Scuderia in Budapest.
Antonelli’s Belgian Grand Prix triumph underlined both his speed and his rapidly developing maturity. Although the Virtual Safety Car threatened to take away a victory that had appeared to be under his control, the Italian remained calm, recovered the lead from Charles Leclerc on track and secured another important result in his championship campaign.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli shows his maturity at Spa
Ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Andrea Kimi Antonelli had been widely expected to win comfortably. Those expectations alone demonstrate how dramatically the Bologna-born driver’s status has changed during his breakthrough season.
Antonelli is not yet 20 years old, but his performances rarely betray his lack of experience. The number 12 driver has combined consistency with remarkable maturity, remaining composed even when events have turned against him.
That quality was particularly evident at Spa. The second Virtual Safety Car allowed Ferrari to bring Charles Leclerc into the pits at an advantageous moment, moving the SF-26 ahead of the Mercedes and transforming the closing stages into a direct fight for victory.
Antonelli nevertheless responded with patience and determination. He closed the gap, passed Charles Leclerc on track and secured a fully deserved sixth win of the season, despite the complex energy-management demands at Spa-Francorchamps.
Antonelli reflects on a difficult Belgian GP victory
The result guarantees that Andrea Kimi Antonelli will enter Formula 1’s summer break as the leader of the Drivers’ Championship. Despite strengthening his advantage over Lewis Hamilton to 45 points, the Mercedes driver remained measured when assessing his victory.
“It was a difficult race because, in terms of pace, we were all very close,” Andrea Kimi Antonelli told Sky Sport F1. “With the VSC, Charles went ahead, but he was very fast today and it was also difficult to pull away because the slipstream was very powerful. In fact, when I overtook him, I found it difficult to get out of Overtake Mode.”
Charles Leclerc’s ability to remain close after losing the lead forced Mercedes to maximise the W17’s electrical deployment. The Ferrari driver had entered the weekend aware that Spa would provide an important assessment of the SF-26, having previously outlined Ferrari’s expectations for the Belgian Grand Prix.
Antonelli also reflected on the support he received and the significance of representing Italy at the highest level of motorsport.
“It was a great victory. It is wonderful to receive so much support and it is a privilege to be able to represent Italy,” he continued. “In my own small way, I try to do my best and bring the Italian flag back to the top step.”
Kimi Antonelli expects Ferrari to be extremely strong in Hungary
Although the Spa victory strengthened his championship position, Andrea Kimi Antonelli immediately turned his attention towards the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver expects the characteristics of the Hungaroring to suit Ferrari considerably better than the fast, power-sensitive layout in Belgium.
“Now we have to focus on Budapest, where Ferrari will definitely be very strong,” Antonelli added. “This week, we brought a slightly lower-downforce package. In Hungary, we will return to the configuration used at the previous races.”
Mercedes selected a lower-downforce specification for Spa to cope with the circuit’s long full-throttle sections. Ferrari also had to find a compromise between aerodynamic load and straight-line efficiency, as highlighted by the technical developments seen in the Belgian GP pit lane.
The Hungaroring presents a very different challenge. Its slower corners, limited number of long straights and greater emphasis on aerodynamic load should allow teams to return to higher-downforce configurations.
Antonelli therefore expects Ferrari to offer a serious challenge, even after Mercedes proved to be the stronger package at Spa.
“It will not be easy in any case, because Ferrari is very strong,” he concluded. “It will be important to try to maximise every single session and bring home the best possible result.”
His comments reflect the cautious approach that has accompanied Antonelli’s rise to the championship lead. The Italian may have secured his sixth victory and guaranteed himself first place in the standings heading into the break, but he is taking nothing for granted as Mercedes prepares for a circuit where Ferrari could be far more difficult to defeat.
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