The Italian driver holds the early advantage in the championship ahead of his Mercedes team-mate George Russell after winning two of the opening three races and admits that his own targets for the campaign have altered as the season resumes in Miami this weekend.

Antonelli, 19, told reporters: "Definitely, I think it's been a better start than what we all anticipated and hoped for, at least on my side, and I think definitely it's been a very strong start of the season.

"And definitely expectations, automatically they're a bit different now, but at the end of the day, I still try to keep the same mindset that as I had in the in the first three races, just trying to keep focusing on what I have to do, on the goal and just trying to put myself in the best position as possible to then achieve a great result."

However, Antonelli will not allow himself to look too far ahead.

He said: "What I don't want to do is, now that obviously we're in a good position, is start to think about the final result, or long-term results.

"I just really want to focus on the present, and how I can maximise every time I go in the car in order to get the best result.

"And yeah, focusing on the process and then little by little, trying to raise the bar, raise the game. Because obviously George is super strong, and competitors will get closer, so I just need to keep doing what I'm doing, but just trying to raise the bar little by little."

Antonelli and Russell appear set to fight for the title this season but Mercedes chief Toto Wolff says he will put the interests of the team above both drivers.

He said: "It is Mercedes, so one of the most formidable brands in the world, the best car brand in the world. We race for 150,000 people that work for us, a company that exists for more than 120 years. And having the opportunity to race, to be one of the few selected racers for Mercedes, also comes with a responsibility for racing for Mercedes.

"And the moment a driver feels like this is all about him, that's not the mindset that we would ever allow or accept in the team. And we've done that in the past. I would rather have only one car driving if that wasn't clear, that wasn't happening.

"But I think it will never come to that point because our drivers, they've been so long in the Mercedes family, that they are part of that mindset and this philosophical approach and the legacy that they represent."