Karun Chandhok: Kimi Antonelli avoiding Ferrari was "the best thing" his father did

Karun Chandhok believes Kimi Antonelli’s decision to progress through the Mercedes junior programme, rather than Ferrari’s, was the best possible choice for the young Italian’s development.

Antonelli replaced seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025 and has since emerged as the defining force of the 2026 season. Back-to-back victories at the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix made him the youngest driver to lead the championship standings, and his momentum continued at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.

The home victory was Antonelli’s seventh win of the season. It also extended his advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell to 66 points before the championship moves on to the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. His latest success has already been described in greater detail in our report on Antonelli’s Monza masterclass.

Ferrari opportunity would have carried a heavy cost

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Show, former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports pundit Chandhok argued that Ferrari’s appeal could have created an overwhelming level of expectation around Antonelli.

“Looking back on that weekend, I actually think by not making him a Ferrari junior, not putting him in front of Ferrari, not trying to make him a Ferrari young driver, and going down the Mercedes path is actually the best thing that Marco Antonelli’s done for his son,” Chandhok said.

Ferrari’s supporters would likely have embraced the prospect of an Italian driver rising through the team’s junior ranks. But Chandhok’s assessment is that such an association would have placed unnecessary pressure on a 20-year-old still establishing himself at the sport’s highest level.

“It’s taken the pressure off in so many ways. Could you imagine if he was there as a Ferrari Italian driver? The pressure would be unbelievable,” he added. “Mercedes have done a fantastic job of nurturing him and bringing him here.”

A future Ferrari move remains possible

Chandhok does not rule out Antonelli eventually becoming a Ferrari driver. He believes the timing, rather than the possibility itself, is crucial: Antonelli can first build his career away from the intensity surrounding Ferrari before potentially taking on that challenge later.

“For the sake of the sport and the sake of Ferrari, I hope in 10-15 years’ time, when Kimi’s achieved a whole lot of things, maybe he will become a Ferrari driver,” Chandhok said.

For now, he considers Antonelli’s early years with Mercedes the more protective environment—and one that is allowing the Italian to perform without carrying Ferrari’s full weight on his shoulders.