Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli share an amicable relationship in the Formula 1 paddock, with the reigning world champion offering valuable words of wisdom to the promising teenager. Both drivers were fast-tracked into F1 and have experienced similar journeys at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Verstappen made his F1 debut in 2015 with Toro Rosso (now Scuderia AlphaTauri) before moving up to Red Bull Racing, where he etched his name into the history books as one of the sport’s greats. Meanwhile, Antonelli is currently in his rookie F1 season and has already impressed by securing two podium finishes across the 21 race weekends he has participated in.
However, Antonelli’s rookie campaign has had its ups and downs. Despite driving a competitive Mercedes-powered car, the Italian driver has struggled to score points consistently, failing to do so on nine occasions. Still, his recent resurgence, including a memorable podium alongside Lando Norris and Verstappen at the Qatar Grand Prix, has brought renewed optimism.
After the Qatar GP, Verstappen praised Antonelli’s performance and offered encouragement, saying:
“Keep believing in yourself. In a rookie season, you sometimes go through a real emotional rollercoaster. One weekend goes better than another. Sometimes you have high expectations, and sometimes they aren’t met. You make mistakes. You have good weekends. But in the end, it’s all part of the learning curve. You have to make mistakes to become a better driver, even in Formula 1. For him to have a weekend like the one he had here, that was just very strong. He completely deserved to be on the podium, and that, of course, also gives him a huge confidence boost.”
Off the track, the two drivers have shared some memorable and friendly moments, highlighting the mutual respect between them.
Antonelli, who has often been touted as the next Max Verstappen on the F1 grid, has also expressed admiration for the Dutchman. Reflecting on his maiden podium at the Canadian GP — where he battled alongside Verstappen — the 19-year-old said in the post-race press conference:
“Of course, seeing what Max has done over the years, especially in his rookie years, was quite astonishing. So definitely he’s a model who I get inspired by. But at the end, racing against the best is a great chance.”
Currently, Verstappen sits third in the drivers’ championship standings, while Antonelli holds seventh place, marking a promising start to what could be an exciting career ahead.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/f1/news-max-verstappen-shares-words-wisdom-kimi-antonelli-losing-f1-brazilian-gp
