Which F1 drivers could have won the 2026 title in Antonelli's car

Andrea Kimi Antonelli has won the 2026 Formula 1 world championship with a 119-point lead over Max Verstappen, with 100 points still available. He is assured of the title by at least 36 points even if he scores nothing more this season.

The article asks which drivers could have won the title in Antonelli's Mercedes. It argues that George Russell's technical problems do not explain the 130-point gap between the two Mercedes drivers, so Russell would probably not have beaten Antonelli in his car. The author would back the four existing world champions, along with Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz Jnr and Oscar Piastri, and also includes both Cadillac drivers given Russell's difficult year.

Isack Hadjar, in his second season in Formula 1, is also named as a driver who has been extremely impressive.