Hülkenberg praises Antonelli’s turnaround ahead of Austin title chance

Nico Hülkenberg has praised Kimi Antonelli’s rise from a difficult rookie campaign to a title-clinching opportunity, calling the turnaround astonishing ahead of the United States Grand Prix.

Antonelli scored just three points across the nine European grands prix in 2025. In 2026, he leads Mercedes team-mate George Russell by 102 points. Hülkenberg said the swing showed how quickly fortunes can change in F1, linking such shifts to a driver’s feeling and confidence in the car and in himself.

Hülkenberg also noted that Antonelli is in his second F1 season, not his debut. He nevertheless called the progress a huge achievement, said Antonelli had been close to flawless in 2026 and praised his performances as impressive for his age.

A win at the Circuit of the Americas would not be enough on its own: Antonelli needs Russell to finish ninth or lower and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton fifth or lower. If those conditions are met, Antonelli would be crowned the youngest champion.