Alessandro Benetton chaired the Benetton Formula team through Michael Schumacher’s first two world titles in 1994 and 1995. Nearly three decades later, he sees the same driver in Kimi Antonelli.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the former Benetton F1 chairman said the Mercedes leader carries a version of the qualities that defined Schumacher in his mid-20s.

“He’s definitely a phenomenon. Even though he’s a different kind of driver, he reminds me of Michael Schumacher, especially in terms of his determination and ability to stay focused,” Benetton said.

“He manages to do it with even more of a smile. That makes him more likeable and inspires everyone to root for him.”

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81 points clear with nine to go

Antonelli heads into the Azerbaijan Grand Prix leading the 2026 drivers’ championship on 292 points, an 81-point advantage over Mercedes teammate George Russell and 101 clear of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari, with nine rounds still to run.

Eight of this season’s wins are his. The most recent came at his home Italian Grand Prix on 6 September, where the 20-year-old recovered from a P19 grid slot after an engine penalty to take victory at Monza in front of the Tifosi.

The record isn’t Schumacher’s

“In my opinion, he’s already made it in the sense that he’s shown us he has what it takes to become one of the greats,” Benetton told the Italian paper.

“Of course, we know that in sports, you have to prove it. He’s only 20 years old and has already set records that have never been achieved before, so he has all the right ingredients.”

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If Antonelli seals the title this season, the youngest-champion mark he would break belongs to Sebastian Vettel, not Schumacher. Vettel was, per Formula 1’s official records, 23 years and 133 days old when he sealed his first crown at Abu Dhabi in November 2010. Antonelli, born in Bologna in 2006, would take the title at 20.

The earliest he can mathematically wrap it up is the Singapore Grand Prix, provided he takes maximum points in Baku on Saturday 26 September and Russell scores none. The more realistic scenario, per PlanetF1’s permutations analysis, is Interlagos in Brazil, with three races still to run.

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