Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has predicted that Kimi Antonelli will make mistakes in the second half of the season, provided George Russell learns how to match his pace.
The 19-year-old Mercedes driver has shown why he is viewed as a generational talent, winning six races already in 2026, five of them in consecutive grands prix.
With Russell on just two wins and enduring inconsistent results, 59 points separate the duo, with Lewis Hamilton completing a Mercedes one-two-three in the standings, 50 points behind Antonelli.
Things have gone against Russell this year, particularly due to Mercedes' power unit gremlins. However, he has genuinely lacked the pace of Antonelli at several races.
But when his pace has been similar to the Italian teenager's, mistakes have crept into the latter's driving. The clearest example came in Montreal, where Antonelli went off the circuit several times while battling Russell.
If the Briton can work out how to match Antonelli's speed in the second half of the season, Montoya expects the current championship leader to start making mistakes.
Discussing the intra-team Mercedes battle, Montoya told the official F1 website: "The dynamic is difficult, because Kimi is bloody quick, and he’s also a very likeable guy.
"When the guy is quick and is an ***hole, it’s so much easier to go against him, and to build that rage to create the momentum to destroy him.
"But when the guy is so nice… I think George needs to figure out a way to match Kimi. If he matches Kimi, he’s going to put Kimi in an uncomfortable position.
"If George can get there, Kimi will try to find a way to beat him again. I think it might force Kimi into a difficult situation and making mistakes."
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