Horner Says Antonelli Earned Mercedes Number One Status

Kimi Antonelli has strengthened his case to become Mercedes' leading driver after a dominant 2026 Formula 1 season, according to former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. With a 102-point advantage over teammate George Russell and six rounds remaining, the 20-year-old can secure the drivers' championship at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.

Motorsport.com reported on October 20 that Antonelli has recorded eight victories and 14 podium finishes this season, establishing an advantage over Russell despite the latter entering the campaign as a championship favorite. A title victory would make Antonelli the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history.

Horner believes a driver's performance should determine their standing within a team, particularly when a championship contender emerges. He told Autosport that teams cannot guarantee both drivers an equal opportunity to win the title indefinitely when results establish a clear leader.

"It's very hard to keep everybody happy all the time," Horner said. "You've just got to be honest and with the principles of 'okay, what are the objectives here'. At the end of the day, the team is what comes first and the drivers are ultimately contractors. To promise both drivers that you can be able to win a world championship is unrealistic."

Horner argued that teams must recognize differences in performance when deciding how to allocate their support. He said drivers initially receive equal opportunities but earn greater standing through their results on the track.

"Ultimately there will be one driver that achieves superiority on track and they're both given the same chance, they're both given the same equipment, but you earn the respect and a status within a team by what you do on a track."

He cited Antonelli's progress at Mercedes as an example of a driver establishing that position through performance. Horner also warned that failing to prioritize the strongest championship contender could cost a team the title when competition intensifies.

"It's like Kimi Antonelli at the moment. He's earning that position in that team by what he's doing on circuit and if there came to a tight fight between him and a rival from another team, the team would have to take a stance. Otherwise they risk losing a championship in the way that Williams potentially did with Mansell and Piquet against Prost all those years ago. So it's just how you set your stall out to go racing."

Horner's argument reflects his experience leading Red Bull from 2005 to 2025. During that period, the team built its championship campaigns around Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, who each won four drivers' world titles.

He recalled that Red Bull's approach developed amid the pressure of competing for championships, particularly during the 2010 season, when Vettel and teammate Mark Webber repeatedly clashed while pursuing the title. Their rivalry nearly opened the door for Ferrari's Fernando Alonso to win the championship.

"What it taught me in the early days, we were a young team, we just started winning and then all the pressures that go with winning and the expectations suddenly rise," Horner said. "The media scrutiny and the spotlight is on you, everything is being analysed to the nth degree and you've just got to stick to your principles."

He said a team's competitive objectives must take precedence over the expectation that every driver will remain satisfied with management decisions.

"You can't keep everybody happy all of the time and it's doing what is best for the team. That's what my job was, I was employed to do the best for Red Bull Racing which meant winning."

Mercedes faces a potential decision over its driver hierarchy as Antonelli's results strengthen his championship position. His advantage over Russell has made him a leading candidate to secure the title, although the outcome of the remaining races will determine the final standings.

RaceFans reported on October 20 that Max Verstappen had won the previous two Grands Prix and a sprint race, making Red Bull a potential obstacle to Antonelli's immediate title ambitions. Verstappen's recent form also raised the prospect of a stronger challenge from Red Bull during the closing rounds.

Mercedes has previously celebrated championship victories at the United States Grand Prix circuit, where Lewis Hamilton secured the drivers' title in 2015 and 2019. Antonelli's opportunity to clinch the championship in Austin places renewed attention on the team's internal competition and its approach to managing two drivers.