Hamilton praises Antonelli as 'deserving champion' with F1 title in reach at Austin

Lewis Hamilton has declared that Kimi Antonelli “deserves to be the champion” as the 18-year-old Mercedes driver arrives at the United States Grand Prix in Austin with a 102-point lead over team-mate George Russell and a genuine chance of sealing the 2026 Formula 1 title this weekend.

Antonelli can clinch the championship at the Circuit of the Americas if he wins and Hamilton — currently 111 points adrift — and Russell fail to score sufficiently. It would make the Italian one of the youngest world champions in the sport’s history.

Hamilton, who vacated his Mercedes seat at the end of 2024 to join Ferrari, was instrumental in creating the opportunity for Antonelli’s graduation to F1. Speaking ahead of the race, the seven-time world champion reflected warmly on his successor’s rise.

“Kimi was around the team, following us a lot, particularly in the last year that I was there,” Hamilton said. “I think it was the right decision to create an opportunity for a young and up-and-coming driver. He was always fitting really well into the environment.”

“In his first year, it’s tough for anybody going into a seat like that, into a team like that, and getting up and running with all the expectations on your shoulders. But he’s really taken it in his stride. It’s been really great to see his performances this year. It’s massively impressive, and he deserves to be the champion.”

Antonelli’s maiden campaign in 2025 was admittedly uneven — he was error-prone and lacked pace relative to Russell at times — but his sophomore season has been a different story entirely. The Italian has claimed six pole positions and eight victories in 17 rounds, including a remarkable win from 19th on the grid at his home race in Monza. No other driver has won more than three grands prix this season.

His consistency has been equally striking. Antonelli has finished on the podium at all but three rounds: Barcelona, where a battery failure ended his race, Silverstone, where a broken wheel shield proved costly, and Baku, where he later admitted he “drove like his grandmother”.

When asked whether he had any advice for the man most likely to lift the trophy, Hamilton kept it light. “Slow down,” he joked, before adding: “No, I don’t know. He doesn’t need any advice. He’s shown this year — and also last year, but particularly this year — his talent and his ability, his calmness and his approach. He’s done an amazing job.”

Antonelli was the first driver in nearly two decades to make his world championship debut at a top team, arriving at Mercedes ahead of schedule following a stellar karting and junior single-seater career. If he converts his advantage in Austin, he will do so with the blessing of the man he replaced.