A 19-year-old rookie’s solo performance and the return of a legend: a new narrative being written in the 2026 F1 season > News

Kimi Antonelli's sprint is considered a phenomenon beyond wonder. Starting with the Chinese Grand Prix in the second round of the season, he has won five consecutive events in Japan, Miami, Canada, and Monaco, proving that he is not just a promising player but a clear champion candidate. In particular, the record of being the youngest winner at the Monaco Grand Prix is ​​more than three years ahead of the record set by Lewis Hamilton 16 years ago, and is considered a signal of the strongest generational change in F1 history. As he dominates the pole position in every race and leads the race, he shows the calmness of a seasoned strategist rather than the typical teenage spirit. Antonelli, who maintains unwavering concentration even in unexpected situations such as red flag situations, has currently recorded 156 championship points, establishing an overwhelming dominance that widens the gap with the second place group by more than 60 points.

Behind Antonelli's brilliant performance, there are other teams' fierce survival stories that are fraught with chaos and frustration. The Monaco Grand Prix had many variables due to the narrow track, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen could not even start due to a power unit problem and retired, dealing a major blow to the championship race. Charles Leclerc, who had been highly anticipated by the home fans, had to end the festival in his hometown in tragedy due to brake failure and a crash. On the other hand, Red Bull's Isaac Hajjar persevered to the end despite mechanical failures and team strategic difficulties, and achieved the feat of winning his first podium. George Russell also showed signs of revival by winning pole position in the Barcelona qualifying round, but in Monaco, he showed mixed emotions as he was pushed out of the points range due to frequent penalties such as speeding in the pit lane.

Lewis Hamilton is proving that he is still the best technician in the game this season. Controversies about retirement and poor performance that had been raised at the beginning of the season were completely put to rest with consecutive podium finishes at the Monaco and Canadian Grand Prix. In particular, his second place finish in Monaco was his eighth overall, a record, equaling Ayrton Senna's record and adding another glorious decoration to his career. In a post-match interview, he expressed his strong will to compete for the title, saying, "I will make people remember who I am again." Of course, the downforce and traction shown by Antonelli's Mercedes machine are unrivaled at the moment, but Hamilton emphasizes the composure of the chaser and is determined to chase until the end of the season.

The splendor of F1 shines not only in the races on the circuit, but also in the cultural elements surrounding it. Kim Kardashian's cheering at the Monaco Grand Prix is ​​a representative example of how the sports and entertainment industries combine. While the romantic relationship with Hamilton attracts the public's attention and drives the popularity of F1, it is also impressive to see luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton elevate the historicity of the Grand Prix through the production of championship trophies and the introduction of the 'Victory Patch'. The performance of a global ambassador like Jeong Ho-yeon handing out the trophy symbolizes that F1 goes beyond simple car racing and is at the pinnacle of global fashion and lifestyle. These external factors represent the strong commercial value of F1, and combined with the tension of the race itself, they elevate each round into a festival.