Sky Sports F1's Karun Chandhok believes Kimi Antonelli joining Mercedes instead of Ferrari has eased pressure on the Italian rookie. Antonelli, who replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes this season, leads the Drivers' Championship by 66 points over teammate George Russell ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. Chandhok said on The F1 Show that avoiding Ferrari's intense spotlight was the best move for Antonelli, noting his family looked delighted after his Monza win.

Antonelli, 20, is on track to become F1's youngest champion. He recently downplayed future Ferrari links, saying he's happy at Mercedes, though Chandhok hopes he might drive for Ferrari later in his career for the sport's benefit.