Raikkonen: Piastri 'couldn't handle the pressure' in 2025, Antonelli won't repeat that

Kimi Raikkonen has delivered a blunt assessment of Oscar Piastri's 2025 title collapse, suggesting the Australian 'couldn't handle the pressure' while throwing his full support behind fellow Italian Kimi Antonelli's 2026 championship charge.

In a rare interview with Italian publication Quotidiano Nazionale, the 2007 world champion pointed to Antonelli's mental strength as the key difference compared to Piastri—who saw his lead evaporate late in 2025. Antonelli now tops the 2026 standings after winning four consecutive Grands Prix.

Why it matters:

• Raikkonen's comments cut straight to the psychological demands of an F1 title fight, using Piastri's 2025 experience as a cautionary tale.
• With Antonelli leading the championship, the comparison carries weight—especially when coming from a driver who knows what it takes to win under Scuderia pressure.
• The Finn's rare public remarks add intrigue to the developing 2026 narrative: can an Italian driver finally end Ferrari's nearly two-decade title drought?

The details:

• Raikkonen on Piastri: “At one point, the Australian McLaren driver seemed to have the title in his pocket, but he couldn’t handle the pressure.”
• On Antonelli: “He won’t fall into the same trap… He’s showing maturity. You can see it in the way he approaches the races.”
• 2026 form: Antonelli’s four consecutive wins are described as “a feat” by Raikkonen, who added: “You don’t win four straight Grands Prix unless you have special talent.”
• The Verstappen factor: When asked who the strongest driver is today, Raikkonen instantly replied “Verstappen,” recalling how he witnessed the Dutchman’s star rise in the 2016 Spanish GP—where Raikkonen himself finished second.
• Ferrari's search: Raikkonen admitted he hoped the Scuderia would find a successor to his champion status after he left in 2018, but now sees “encouraging signs” from afar.

Between the lines:

Raikkonen’s bluntness is characteristic, but his willingness to publicly call out Piastri—and then explicitly back Antonelli—suggests he sees a genuine mental edge in the young Mercedes driver. The reference to sharing a first name (“I’m amused that he shares my name”) adds a personal layer to his support. Meanwhile, his unwavering faith in Verstappen as the purest talent on the grid reaffirms the Dutchman’s status even as Antonelli leads the standings.

What's next:

The championship battle is far from decided. Raikkonen’s verdict will fuel interest in how Antonelli handles the inevitable pressure spikes as the season progresses—and whether Piastri can learn from 2025 to mount a stronger challenge next year.