Daniel Ricciardo believes Kimi Antonelli’s youth and relative inexperience have become a potent advantage in his 2026 Formula 1 title campaign. With nine victories this season, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver stands on the verge of becoming the sport’s youngest-ever world champion at this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix, needing only a ninth-place finish to surpass Sebastian Vettel’s longstanding record.
Ricciardo, who debuted in F1 at 22 and retired at 35, articulated the phenomenon on the Beyond The Grid podcast. “I got asked by a friend about Kimi Antonelli the other day, and I said ‘ignorance is a superpower’ – you know, ‘being young’ is what I’m really trying to say, I’m not trying to be mean to him at all,” the Australian explained. “Being young is a superpower, being ignorant and not having been so exposed to the world and things like that.”
He drew a direct parallel to his own breakthrough 2014 campaign with Red Bull Racing, where he unexpectedly claimed three victories while outperforming reigning quadruple champion Sebastian Vettel as a teammate. “I remember my first year at Red Bull Racing; you’re naive, you’re young, you’re ignorant. I don’t know, everything’s easy and it comes easy, and it’s just, ‘Oh wow, I’m winning, cool, I’ll just keep winning, cause I’m the best’.”
Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing RB10, leads Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing RB10
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
The dynamic mirrors Antonelli’s current trajectory, where he has eclipsed established team leader George Russell in only his second season. “I don’t mean to compare myself to him or anything, but the power of being young in some situations where this sport and the world can be very intense, and over the years you’re just going to accumulate baggage…” Ricciardo continued.
“Right now I think he’s at that sweet spot where he’s obviously very talented, very fast, but he hasn’t yet really acquired any baggage, so it’s like, let’s just go and race. There’s nothing really going on out there, which is a superpower.”
Ricciardo contrasted this with his own later career, where the weight of decisions—such as his 2018 departure from Red Bull—and unmet expectations eroded that effortless clarity. “That became a lot harder for me as the years went on… These things keep popping up. ‘Was that decision right? Now I’ve done this, is that right?’ Again, an accumulation of many things, and I think by the end I had to dig very deep to find something where before it was just easy – I didn’t really have to think, it was just there.”
Following his United States Grand Prix victory, Antonelli affirmed he would maintain his current approach for the season finale. “I’m going to approach it with the same mindset, just trying to have as much fun as possible, trying to hopefully fight for another win,” he said. “But it would be best to finish on a high, and that’s the goal. I’m just going to try to enjoy the rest of the season from now on.”
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