The world turned upside down
How the world changes in a year. And if the world is that of Formula 1, then the speed of change is doubled. So looking at the outcome of the 2026 Belgian GP, it seems impossible to think that 12 months earlier, at the end of the 2025 Belgian GP, the driver who won this year perhaps didn’t even think he would be on the starting grid at Spa a year later. Of the many victories already achieved during this World Championship by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, this one definitely has a special flavor.
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The Italian of Mercedes prevailed where last year he undoubtedly experienced his worst weekend ever in F1: 17th in the Sprint after starting 19th; 18th and sadly eliminated in Q1 on Saturday; 16th at the GP finish on Sunday. A disaster across the board and his tears barely held back in the post-race interviews had gone around the world. In those days, there was discussion that perhaps Toto Wolff had been too hasty, that Antonelli was not ready, and the young Bolognese’s future in the Circus seemed uncertain. Incredible, thinking about where Antonelli has arrived now.
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From the bottom to the top
During the post-race press conference, Antonelli was pointed out the incredible difference between this season’s result and last year’s, and the Mercedes driver himself admitted that he would never have expected to find himself in this situation after what he had faced last year: “Would I have ever imagined being at this point just 12 months apart? No, absolutely not” – Antonelli commented – last year here I probably hit rock bottom, so it was a very difficult weekend for me mentally. But this year went definitely much better. If you had asked me this time last year, I probably would have said no“.
