Former Haas F1 Team team principal Guenther Steiner believes it is still premature to consider Andrea Kimi Antonelli the leading contender for this year’s championship title. The young Italian has made a remarkable start to the season, claiming victory in three of the opening four races and establishing an advantage over teammate George Russell in the standings.
Despite Antonelli’s impressive form, Steiner warned that the mental demands of a title fight could become a major challenge as the campaign develops. He compared the situation to Oscar Piastri’s difficult second half of last season, when the Australian struggled to maintain his earlier momentum.
At the same time, Steiner praised the young Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team driver for adapting quickly, handling pressure with maturity, and consistently delivering strong performances against the more experienced Russell.
