Ralf states that Antonelli is already the number 1 for Mercedes.

      "Kimi usually delivers his performances flawlessly."

      Ralf Schumacher believes Kimi Antonelli has clearly positioned himself as Mercedes' main driver, outpacing George Russell. Speaking on Sky Deutschland, Schumacher highlighted the 20-year-old's outstanding consistency in his first season competing for the title. "While Kimi Antonelli has only secured one win in the last six Grands Prix, it’s important to note that he has been on the podium ten times in twelve races." "In the two races where he didn’t achieve this, it was due to technical issues. Thus, Antonelli's record is quite impressive." Schumacher points out that the Italian’s greatest strength is his infrequency of mistakes. "Kimi typically executes his performances well, consistently does quality work, and rarely makes errors." "From this view, he is undoubtedly the superior driver in the team, and he’s only going to improve," he stated. "At just 20 years old, he hasn’t yet reached his full potential, especially given his relative lack of experience compared to others." Antonelli currently tops the championship standings with 242 points, 59 points ahead of both Russell and Lewis Hamilton, while Lando Norris trails by another 24 points after consecutive wins. "For these reasons, I believe he is clearly the number one at Mercedes," Schumacher remarked. "I think Russell is aware of this." "The Englishman should recognize the situation, take it one race at a time, and strive to perform to the best of his abilities." "Undoubtedly, his aim should be to finish ahead of Kimi, but I think he needs to reassess how he approaches the situation internally."