Kimi Antonelli has been warned by former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya that while the "crazy pressure" may have lifted after building a 43-point lead in the drivers' championship, things can quickly change if mistakes pile up.
The 19-year-old secured a fourth consecutive victory in the Canadian Grand Prix to increase his advantage over George Russell to a healthy margin after just five races, helped by the latter's retirement.
Russell had been leading in Montreal before suffering a sudden battery failure on lap 30, marking a significant blow to the Briton's title hopes.
Antonelli, meanwhile, has been going from strength to strength, with his shaky start to the season in Australia appearing like a distant memory.
The championship leader is becoming a real force with significant momentum, although things can change very quickly.
Oscar Piastri lost a 34-point lead while at the top of the standings last year, proving that while Antonelli can now afford a couple of poor races, he cannot relax completely, despite Russell believing there is a force working against him in the title fight.
Addressing Russell's claim that it feels like something is against him in the title fight, Montoya told F1: "Champion's luck. It's just that when things are meant for you, they are meant for you.
"But it's still a long championship, and things can turn really quickly.
"What this definitely does is take that crazy pressure off Antonelli. He knows that he can fumble a couple of times, maybe.
"If George beats him a couple of times, it's not the end of the world. The thing is, you cannot let it happen too often, because then the ball starts rolling out of control."
Originally published by RacingNews365 —
Read Original Article