After the Mexican Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli has etched himself into Formula 1 history as the youngest world champion. The Italian has broken the previous record held by Sebastian Vettel, who expressed his satisfaction that Antonelli managed to achieve this milestone.
With the current superlicense rules, surpassing Antonelli’s age of 20 years, two months, and seven days to win the title of a first championship will pose a huge challenge, as it would imply achieving this success while still a teenager.
Max Verstappen, in a conversation about the new champion, responded with his characteristic humor to the question about what sets him apart from Antonelli: ‘He speaks Italian!’. However, the Red Bull driver also showed great admiration for Antonelli’s humble attitude.
The Dutch driver acknowledged that, beyond the humor, the answer is serious: ‘From a young age, he has great talent and has received proper guidance, especially from his father, who knows the world of motorsport well.’ The contribution of the Mercedes team and the support from team principal Toto Wolff have also been key in his career.
Verstappen emphasized that his own career in F1 cannot be compared to that of the Italian, recalling that he debuted with the Toro Rosso team at just 17 years old and did not have a competitive car during his early seasons. He acknowledged his initial frustration, as he could only fight for individual wins and not for the title until 2021.
According to Verstappen, Antonelli will have to experience more intense pressure from the start in a top team like Mercedes, which can be difficult for a newcomer. ‘Last year was complicated for him, but he managed it well and learned a lot during his first year,’ he added.
What Verstappen values most about Antonelli, however, is his personality: ‘He’s a very normal guy. He doesn’t act like a rock star. He’s genuine and has a good heart, and that’s what I appreciate most about him.’
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_479f2fd3803e6048f7b2df04118521edc7b7bfed