Berman on why Antonelli's successes inspire him

      According to Oliver Berman, the rivalry between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell has become an additional source of motivation for him, and the British Haas F1 driver is striving for higher results by watching the successes of his former Prema Racing teammate – the team they both raced for in Formula 2 in 2024.

      In the same year, Oliver had his first races for the American team, which is considered a solid mid-tier team, but in its ten-year history, Haas has only finished higher than 7th place in the Constructors' Championship once. That was in 2018, when its drivers were Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

      Antonelli's career is unfolding differently: he is a protégé of Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes F1, so the Italian driver debuted in Formula 1 straight into a top team when he was just 18 years old. In his debut season, he stood on the podium three times, and in the first five races of 2026, he has already secured four victories.

      When Berman participated in the Drive to Wynn podcast, he was asked to share his thoughts on the duel between the Mercedes drivers at the Canadian Grand Prix, and here’s what he said:

      "These two are performing at an incredibly high level. Watching their duel is truly interesting, as they push each other, and the competition is at an absolute limit. However, they show mutual respect, and when there is such a relationship between teammates, it is extremely important.

      I really enjoyed watching all of this, and I see that Kimi is truly challenging his teammate. Of course, I know him well, as he was my partner in F2, and as long as their rivalry with George continues, I plan to keep an eye on it.

      It's also great to watch other young drivers who are battling experienced competitors who have been in F1 for a long time – they are all well-known and also deserve the highest praise. As for me, I can't compete in the front rows yet, as I drive a Haas car, which is not among the top four fastest. But when I see that they are able to challenge their teammates and all the other drivers from top teams as well, it gives me confidence in my own abilities.

      I competed with Kimi and Isaac in F3 and F2, and now they are competing with the best Formula 1 drivers, which is further proof that one day I will be able to join them. Moreover, it serves as an additional source of motivation, as it is very joyful to see young guys winning. I am also among the young drivers, and I really want to achieve success too."