Kimi Antonelli has described his Formula 1 victory in Madrid as a stroke of luck, while arguing that his 81-point advantage over George Russell is not, according to Motorsport.com.
The Italian driver's comments came after the Madrid race on Sunday, 13 September 2026, a result that Motorsport.com reports extended his lead in the world championship standings. Antonelli's margin over Russell now stands at 81 points.
Motorsport.com framed the win and the points gap as two separate things in Antonelli's own telling: the race result in Madrid carried an element of fortune, but the championship cushion over his rival did not.
Coverage of the weekend from other outlets pointed in a similar direction. ANSA reported that Antonelli flew in Madrid as well and stretched his advantage in the title race, while La Gazzetta dello Sport wrote about the luck of the strongest, the talent of "Kimi" and a championship destiny. Corriere della Sera's race ratings gave Antonelli a 9, describing a clear road ahead for the title, with Charles Leclerc earning an 8 for a recovery drive and Lewis Hamilton described as punished by fate. Sportmediaset wrote that Kimi has become a big name, and that it is not a matter of trophies, records and victories.
The picture that emerges from the Italian press is of a driver managing a comfortable championship position rather than one chasing results race by race.
What to watch next is whether Antonelli can keep converting that advantage into points as the season continues, and whether Russell can close a gap that Antonelli insists was earned rather than given.
