David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.

Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.

At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.

Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.

“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.

Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.

“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.

Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.

The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.

“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.

For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.

We really need an engine upgrade. Right now, it’s nearly impossible for us to keep up with Red Bull and Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton said after the Miami race.

They both have a huge edge over us, but honestly, the rest of our car might be the best out there. Fix this engine issue, and we’ll have a real shot at fighting for wins.

This comes as the FIA is about to decide which manufacturers get extra development freedom under the ADUO rules. Toto Wolff wants only Honda to get that, but Hamilton thinks Ferrari should be included, too.

Even though Ferrari rolled out major upgrades in Miami, Hamilton said the others made bigger strides.

The team put a lot of effort into these changes; it’s progress, but everyone else moved forward as well, he said.

I heard McLaren’s updates actually worked better than expected. We didn’t see that kind of jump. Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull approach the front wing differently from us. Just look at their design compared to ours; it’s clearly not the same. I don’t know if that’s the key difference, but I want to understand what their concept does.

On the track, the results were disappointing.

Finishing sixth doesn’t sit well with me, Hamilton admitted. That’s not where I want to be.

He also brought up issues with Ferrari’s simulator.

To be honest, I feel like the simulator is pushing me the wrong way, Hamilton said. Maybe it’s time to set it aside, at least for now.

Charles Leclerc, his teammate, looked faster and almost made the podium, but a late spin cost him big.

Team principal Frederic Vasseur doesn’t think the engine is the whole story behind Ferrari’s struggles.

It's about the whole package, not only the engine, he said.

We need to improve everything. The fight for the title can last until the final race. What matters is having the speed to go for wins.

Yes, there are issues, but we know what needs fixing.