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Is World Championship leader Kimi Antonelli unstoppable? Here’s what Christian Klien has to say

Former GP rider and current ServusTV pundit Christian Klien is convinced: Kimi Antonelli is the clear favourite to win in Belgium. However, he is reliant on one key factor.

Formula 1

This article is an automatically generated English version. The Original Article was published in German.

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Kimi Antonelli’s lead in the World Championship over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell and his predecessor Lewis Hamilton has recently shrunk. The British driver from within the team is 25 points behind the young Italian, whilst the seven-time world champion, who has been chasing points for the Ferrari team since last year, is 32 championship points adrift.

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The pair finished second (Russell) and third (Hamilton) in the most recent race at Silverstone, behind winner Charles Leclerc. Antonelli himself fell victim to technical issues and finished fifteenth, scoring no points. ServusTV expert Christian Klien had this to say about the Ferrari star’s first victory since the 2024 US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas: “I never wrote Charles off. Despite a slump, the pace was always there. And after changing the brake pads, he’s regained his confidence in the car.”

For the former F1 driver, however, one thing is certain: the clear favourite to win in Belgium is Antonelli: “He clearly had George under control again at Silverstone, which gives him confidence for the rest of the season. Of course, he could have managed the mechanical issue better, but I can’t recall him making a genuine mistake this year. If things don’t go to plan, it’s actually always down to the car.”

The fact that Antonelli had a race weekend to forget on the Ardennes rollercoaster last year doesn’t carry much weight, the Austrian is certain: “Kimi has developed tremendously since then and gets on brilliantly with this generation of cars. At Silverstone, he was absolutely flying. If the car holds up, victory can only come through him.”

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Alongside the racing action, ServusTV is focusing just as much on championship leader Kimi Antonelli as on Scuderia Ferrari, which may well have its first title chance since Kimi Räikkönen’s world championship triumph 19 years ago. The programme will also address the increasingly persistent rumours of a move for Max Verstappen. And Formula 2 leader Nikola Tsolov, who is tipped as the frontrunner for a seat in the top flight, will give an exclusive interview. Andrea Schlager and Christian Klien report live from the pit lane at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, whilst Andreas Gröbl and Mathias Lauda provide commentary from Belgium.

TV Program

Formula 1 coverage from Belgium for Austrian fans

Friday (17 July):

1.15 pm: 1st free practice LIVE

4.45 pm: 2nd free practice LIVE

Saturday (18 July):

12.15 pm: 3rd free practice LIVE

3.30 pm: Qualifying LIVE

5.00 pm: Qualifying analysis

Sunday (19 July):

1.15 pm: Race preview

3.00 pm: Race LIVE

4.40 pm: Race analysis

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Topics

Championship Standings

Full Standings
  1. Drivers

  2. Constructors

2026202520242023
Pos
Driver
Team
Points

1

Kimi Antonelli

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team

380

2

Max Verstappen

Oracle Red Bull Racing

261

3

Lewis Hamilton

Scuderia Ferrari HP

259

4

George Russell

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team

250

5

Charles Leclerc

Scuderia Ferrari HP

245

6

Lando Norris

McLaren Formula 1 Team

221

7

Oscar Piastri

McLaren Formula 1 Team

144

8

Isack Hadjar

Oracle Red Bull Racing

107

9

Liam Lawson

Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team

83

10

Pierre Gasly

BWT Alpine Formula One Team

42

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  1. Past

    US Grand Prix

    Circuit of the Americas, USA
    23.–25.10.2026
  2. Past

    Mexican Grand Prix

    Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexiko
    30.10. – 01.11.2026
  3. Next up

    Brazilian Grand Prix

    Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Brasilien
    06.–08.11.2026
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    Las Vegas Grand Prix

    Downtown Las Vegas Street Circuit, USA
    19.–21.11.2026
  5. Qatar Grand Prix

    Losail International Circuit, Katar
    27.–29.11.2026

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