Helmut Marko delivered a striking endorsement of Kimi Antonelli, declaring the Mercedes rookie now has what it takes to fight for the Formula 1 World Championship after a strong start to the 2026 season.

The Austrian, who had previously questioned Antonelli’s consistency, admitted his view has shifted as the Italian’s performances have stabilised and improved.

“I saw straight away that Antonelli was very fast, but he was inconsistent,” Marko told Der Western. “This year the music has changed. Now I believe he is capable of fighting for the World Championship.”

The comments underline the impact Antonelli has made at Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team, where his emergence has reshaped the internal dynamic alongside George Russell and reinforced the team’s return to the front of the grid.

Marko also pointed to the next generation of potential talent with Austrian links, highlighting young karters already on his radar.

“Toto Wolff has an ace up his sleeve: his son Jack, who is pushing really hard in karting, just like Gerhard Berger’s son Johan,” he said, referring to Toto Wolff and Gerhard Berger. “I’m in constant telephone contact with Gerhard. We’ll see if they can do it, all the right things are there.”

Despite his long standing involvement in driver development, Marko emphasised that both prospects remain at a very early stage of their careers.

He also addressed his new position as ambassador for the Red Bull Ring, outlining plans to boost interest in motorsport events in Austria beyond Formula 1.

“I hope I can help increase interest, especially for the MotoGP race at the Red Bull Ring,” Marko said. “I’m a big motorcycle fan. I’ll be present at the Classics events in May and, of course, at the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the end of June.”

Heading to Round 4, the Miami Grand Prix next month, Antonelli leads the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship. He is the youngest driver ever to do so in the sport's history.