Championship leader Antonelli reveals how Hamilton and Verstappen have guided his stunning F1 rise

Kimi Antonelli has credited Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen for their support during a debut season that has seen the 19-year-old Mercedes driver win five consecutive grands prix and open up a 66-point lead at the top of the Formula 1 standings.

Speaking at the drivers’ press conference in Barcelona, Antonelli was asked whether either champion had offered specific tips on how to handle his experienced team-mate George Russell. His answer was candid — and laced with humour.

“No, we haven’t talked specifically about that,” Antonelli said. “Well, Max, his latest advice was to wait for the red light to go off and wait one second. Then unfortunately, yeah, he had the PU issue, but that was his latest advice, which obviously was a joke.”

Beyond the banter, Antonelli described a genuinely warm dynamic with both men. “They’ve been very kind since I’ve joined the sport, and they seem to be very supportive,” he said. “It’s great to see, it’s great to witness on my side. But they also don’t want to — I mean, we’re still competitors at the end of the day, so you still don’t want to give too much advice. But yeah, it’s been fun, the relationship with them.”

Verstappen’s message, Antonelli added, was straightforward: keep doing what you’re doing, keep enjoying it, keep being yourself, and the results will follow.

The results have certainly followed. Victories in China, Japan, Miami, Canada and Monaco have established Antonelli as the clear championship favourite at this stage of the season. Hamilton, who moved to Ferrari in the off-season, overtook Russell for second place in Monaco and now sits 66 points adrift of his former team. Russell is third, two points further back.

That Antonelli is being mentored — however informally — by the two most decorated drivers of the modern era adds an intriguing layer to a title race that is still far from over. For now, though, the teenager from Bologna appears to be taking their advice to heart.