“Because he doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody anymore. He only wants to prove to himself that he can still do it. At some stage, he will say he’s had enough of this, but I think when he realises that he cannot win the eighth world championship in a Ferrari, that is when he will say, ‘I want to stop’, and that’s when a seat will open up for [Ollie] Bearman.”
While he would personally love to see the Briton achieve that milestone with Ferrari, Costa pointed out that age inevitably affects every driver sooner or later, saying: “That moment inevitably comes for everyone, there’s not much you can do about it.”
Photo: Race Pictures
Antonelli has emerged as a surprise favourite in the 2026 title fight after making it three consecutive victories at the Miami GP. The 19-year-old sits 20 points ahead of teammate Russell at the top of the standings as the youngest championship leader ever.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen’s season looked like it was finally underway after his P2 Qualifying finish in Miami. The Red Bull driver has struggled with driveability and technical issues in his RB22 – as seen during a point-less weekend at Round 2 in Shanghai. Despite the Dutchman’s spin on the opening lap of the Miami GP, he impressively charged through the grid on an alternative strategy to recover P5.
For Ecclestone, those performances are enough to name Antonelli and Verstappen as the two sole contenders for the 2026 title, leaving Russell after the Briton scored his second successive P4 at the Sunshine State. He told Blick: “Antonelli or Verstappen will be world champion. Red Bull has apparently overcome the slump. Max has caught fire again – and then he’s dangerous.”
Photo: Race Pictures