- Guenther Steiner believes newly crowned world champion Kimi Antonelli has the talent to secure multiple Formula 1 titles.
- Steiner expects Mercedes to remain competitive, although McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari could challenge Antonelli’s dominance.
- Steiner praised Toto Wolff for nurturing Antonelli’s development and providing the confidence needed to succeed in Formula 1.
Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner believes newly crowned Formula 1 world champion Kimi Antonelli has the potential to establish a championship dynasty, declaring that the Italian will add further titles to his maiden triumph.
Antonelli’s extraordinary rise to the pinnacle of Formula 1 culminated at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where the Mercedes youngster secured the 2026 drivers’ championship in just his second season at the highest level.
A remarkable achievement for a driver whose promotion to the Brackley outfit in 2025 was met with considerable scepticism, having been entrusted with the formidable responsibility of succeeding seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Yet the decision to accelerate Antonelli’s development has been emphatically vindicated, with the Italian emerging as one of the sport’s most formidable competitors under the new technical regulations.
And according to Steiner, the championship represents merely the beginning.
“He has got it in him and he will win more world championships than one,” Steiner told Motorsport Reports in an exclusive interview ahead of his upcoming No Team Orders tour of Australia and New Zealand.
“Obviously for me that is pretty sure.”
The Italian-American believes Antonelli possesses the necessary qualities to emulate the sustained success enjoyed by the likes of Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
However, he acknowledged that the competitive landscape may make establishing a prolonged period of dominance considerably more difficult.
Mercedes well placed for further success
While Antonelli’s individual capabilities have become increasingly apparent throughout 2026, Steiner believes Mercedes remains an equally important component in the youngster’s championship aspirations.
The German manufacturer entered the new regulatory era with considerable expectations, having previously demonstrated an ability to capitalise upon sweeping technical changes.
Yet despite emerging as a championship-winning force, Mercedes has not enjoyed the overwhelming superiority some anticipated.
“Mercedes is on a good trajectory,” Steiner explained.
“They are not dominating as we expected them to be in the beginning of the year.”
Reliability issues have also compromised the team’s ability to maximise its competitive advantage, with Steiner suggesting that Antonelli’s championship could have been secured considerably earlier.
“They had quite a few reliability issues this year. Otherwise, they would have won the championship earlier.”
Nevertheless, he believes the foundations are firmly established for another sustained period of success.
“I think Kimi has got it for sure in him. And I think also he’s in the right team at the moment to make it happen in the next years.”
Unlike Mercedes’ dominant spell during the previous hybrid era, however, Steiner expects the competitive threat from rival manufacturers to remain significant.
McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari have all demonstrated the ability to challenge at the front, creating a landscape in which championship success cannot be taken for granted.
“I would say the other three top teams, McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari, are very good,” he said.
“You never know who is going to be strong.”
Even so, Steiner remains convinced that the combination of Antonelli’s ability and Mercedes’ technical expertise provides a formidable platform.
“I think it is possible with the talent of Kimi and the talent of the Mercedes team that they win more world championships.”
Wolff deserves credit for nurturing Antonelli
Beyond the technical and competitive considerations, Steiner reserved particular praise for Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his role in developing Antonelli into a world champion.
Having identified the Italian’s potential at a remarkably young age, Mercedes invested considerable resources into his progression through the junior categories.
However, Steiner believes Wolff’s greatest contribution was not necessarily recognising Antonelli’s talent, but providing the environment in which it could flourish.
Initially, he offered a typically mischievous response when asked how much credit the Austrian deserved.
“I think Toto should get no credit, otherwise he gets like, look at me,” Steiner joked.
“No, I’m joking. I mean, Toto is doing a good job.”
Steiner acknowledged that identifying promising drivers is a collective responsibility, with Mercedes employing specialists tasked with recognising talent before it reaches Formula 1.
Yet the ultimate decision to promote Antonelli rested with Wolff.
“They advise him what to do and then he needs to call the shot, because the buck stops with him.”
And while Antonelli’s raw speed was evident throughout his junior career, Steiner suggested that his maturity and confidence reflected the guidance he received during his development.
“How mature Kimi is, I think that’s a lot of credit to Toto personally to give him the confidence to guide him there to the Formula One seat.”
For Steiner, that personal investment was more significant than simply identifying a promising youngster.
“I give Toto more credit for doing that than for spotting him because spotting, I mean, there is scouts out there.”
“The support to give him after he was told this kid is talented, it’s very nice to see.”
It represents a particularly compelling endorsement of Wolff’s approach, given Steiner’s own extensive experience managing drivers and navigating the complexities of Formula 1 team leadership.
And while the Mercedes boss faced considerable scrutiny over his decision to entrust a race-winning organisation to an inexperienced teenager, the ultimate reward has arrived far sooner than many anticipated.
For Antonelli, the challenge now shifts from winning a maiden championship to demonstrating the consistency required to defend it.
The emergence of a new generation of talent, combined with the competitive strength of Formula 1’s leading manufacturers, ensures that further success will be anything but straightforward.
Yet Steiner is unequivocal in his assessment.
With a world championship already secured and Mercedes firmly behind him, Antonelli possesses both the individual talent and organisational support required to establish himself amongst Formula 1’s most decorated competitors.
The question, it seems, is no longer whether Antonelli can become a world champion.
It is how many championships he might ultimately win.
