Helmut Marko was blunt about Kimi Antonelli: “He outclassed him.”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli could clinch his first world title as early as this coming weekend in Austin, at just 20 years old. After establishing a commanding lead by winning five consecutive Grand Prix races in the first half of the season, the Mercedes driver has managed to maintain and extend his advantage over the past few months, thanks to decisive victories at Monza and Madrid and strong finishes in Asia.

Now the countdown to the final celebration has begun for the driver from Bologna, and in the meantime, he’s receiving praise from all corners of the racing world. Even Helmut Marko, usually stern, has nothing but kind words for Kimi. “It’s wonderful to see how this guy makes the car fly and the joy with which he savors his successes. He’s incredibly fast, and if that’s not enough to win, he aims for a strong finish,” said the former Red Bull advisor to oe24.

The comparison with his teammate George Russell is ruthless, with Marko describing him as “outclassed”: “Last year he wasn’t as consistent and he also made several mistakes. This year, however, he’s overshadowed Russell—he’s completely outclassed him.”

After the Singapore Grand Prix, where he pulled off key passes on Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton with eight laps to go, Antonelli extended his lead over Russell to 102 points; Russell finished ninth after staging a comeback from the back of the grid. In the standings, the Italian driver leads with 340 points to his teammate’s 238. To clinch the championship title in Texas, he’ll need to win the race and hope that Russell finishes no higher than ninth. If, however, the races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are canceled due to the difficult situation in the Middle East, Kimi would only need to finish ahead of George or not lose more than two points.