Former Formula 1 driver Riccardo Patrese believes 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli has the chance to compete for the championship in his second season.

With changes to the technical rules, the power order in the starting lineup for the 2026 season may change significantly. Patrese added that Antonelli has already shown that he can be among the names to compete for the championship:

“If Mercedes builds the best car under the new rules, Antonelli should focus on fighting Russell, as he has already shown he can do, and the rest will follow,” Patrese said.

“To the championship title!” he replied when asked how far the young Italian could go next year.

If Antonelli manages to win the championship next season, he will become the first driver to win the title in his second season since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

Patrese recorded Antonelli’s first year:

“He made his debut, had to learn everything and coped well with the inevitable mistakes that come with lack of experience. I really enjoyed it, he showed pure class moments.”

Antonelli took three podium finishes in his debut season, including an impressive weekend at Interlagos and a spectacular comeback at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

A 2002 McLaren MP4-17A will go up for auction at RM Sotheby’s in Paris in 2026. Competing in 12 Grands Prix, the chassis was driven by Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard, achieving five podiums and one victory. The estimated price of the land is between 1,000,000 and 1,400,000 Euros.

The car was designed under the guidance of the legendary Adrian Newey. Although the MP4-17 initially showed inconsistent performance, it was later able to compete with the dominant Ferrari F2002 and regularly achieve podium finishes.

Chassis number 6 appeared in the middle of the 2002 season and was mainly used by Raikkonen, who replaced Mika Hakkinen in the team. The Finnish driver immediately finished third in the European Grand Prix, followed by second in France and third in the USA.

In 2003, the same chassis updated and driven by Coulthard won the season opener in Australia, marking the Scot’s 13th and final Formula One victory.

The car’s last race was at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix, driven by Raikkonen, who finished second behind Rubens Barrichello, also of Ferrari. That season the championship was won by Michael Schumacher, who finished eighth in the race.

The car retains its original 2002 West livery and Räikkönen number 4 and is powered by a 3.0-litre Mercedes-Benz FO110 V10 engine. A complete restoration is required for reuse on the track.

Following its racing career, the car was stored at McLaren for 17 years and was purchased by its current owner in 2021. For fans of the early 2000s, this land is a unique investment and historical value.

About a year ago, Alpin decided to abandon Renault power plants and prefer Mercedes engines as of the 2026 season. The team came to the conclusion that its own engines had become a limiting factor in the fight for good results and sacrificed the status of the works team for the sake of customer cooperation with the German manufacturer, which was considered the favorite of the new technical regulations.

At the same time, the situation with Mercedes engines remains tense. Competitors are analyzing the possible use of thermal expansion to increase the compression ratio above the 16:1 limit in race conditions. While Honda, Ferrari and Audi may insist on breaches of the rules, Mercedes claims the rules were fully followed during static checks.

Despite the risks of the customer model, Enston is confident in the correctness of the choice. In 2026, the same engines will be used by McLaren, Williams and Mercedes factory teams, which will further intensify the competition. Of particular note is Williams, who finished the season under James Vowles in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, ahead of Alpine. This increases the pressure on the French team, but Pierre Gasly believes betting on Mercedes will allow them to compete at the front of the peloton from the start of Formula 1’s new era.

“We are opening a new chapter with Mercedes and given their CV and the number of championships, I am sure it will be a great adventure.”

“I’m not going to lie, I’m really excited about it. From what I hear, the Mercedes engine is in very good shape at the moment.”

“So I’m looking forward to the first test and the feeling that the Mercedes force is behind me. I have very high expectations for our team next year.”

“We made tactical sacrifices in 2025 so we can start 2026 on the right steps. I want to fight at the front of the peloton next season.”

“I don’t see any reason why we can’t be among the leaders at this point.”