Patrese believes Antonelli has the ability to defeat 'non-champion' Russell.
"I told Kimi he must win the World Championship this year."
Riccardo Patrese is confident that Kimi Antonelli has a genuine chance of surpassing his more experienced teammate George Russell in the race for the 2026 World Championship. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former F1 driver stated that Mercedes’ daring choice to promote the young Antonelli last year is already proving to be fruitful.
"Absolutely," the Italian replied when asked if Antonelli could come out on top. "Firstly, because Toto Wolff wanted him at Mercedes, taking a gamble on him when many thought it was a bit outlandish.
"However, I believe it was the right choice because he invested in someone with exceptional talent. Russell is also a talented driver, but he isn’t a champion in the same league as Verstappen."
Patrese even encouraged Antonelli to pursue the championship right away.
"I told Kimi he must win the World Championship this year. He laughed, but he understands that he might not have the fastest car in 2027."
On a broader perspective, Patrese feels that Ferrari is currently the closest contender to the dominant Mercedes team.
"I think they’ve done well. At the moment, they are Mercedes’ most formidable rivals, and their cars are still developing due to the new regulations," he noted. "The red team could introduce some intriguing solutions - let’s wait a few months and see how things unfold."
He also disregarded the notion that Lewis Hamilton has declined, especially after a noticeably stronger start to 2026 with Ferrari compared to the previous year.
"I never saw him as done. He’s won seven World Championships and over 100 races, and it’s natural that he didn’t have the same motivation as Charles Leclerc last year with that car," Patrese explained. "Hamilton aims to become an eight-time World Champion and hopes the new Ferrari will provide him that opportunity."
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