Verstappen praises 'huge talent' Antonelli after youngest-ever F1 title record

Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s youngest-ever world champion at the Mexico Grand Prix, claiming the title at 20 years, two months and seven days — surpassing the record previously held by Sebastian Vettel. The achievement drew warm words from four-time champion Max Verstappen, who had been asked about the Mercedes driver shortly before the title was confirmed.

When pressed on what sets Antonelli apart from most young drivers, Verstappen was characteristically blunt: “More talent.” He elaborated further, crediting the role of Antonelli’s father, Marco, in shaping the young Italian’s development. “He’s also had proper guidance from a very young age with his father. His dad knows a lot more about racing than the average father, and if your son then has a huge amount of talent, that already helps a lot.”

When asked what quality Antonelli possesses that Verstappen himself lacked at 20, the Red Bull driver deadpanned without missing a beat: “Well, he speaks Italian.”

Beyond the humour, Verstappen was careful to draw a distinction between his own early career and Antonelli’s current situation. “You can’t compare it. I started in Formula 1 when I was 17, and for a very long time I wasn’t driving a car with which I could fight for the championship,” he said. “That was obviously the biggest problem, but the fact that Kimi is doing so well at that age is very impressive.”

Verstappen’s comments allude to his difficult early years at Toro Rosso and Red Bull, where an underperforming Renault power unit limited his ability to compete at the front of the grid.

Alongside his father’s influence, Antonelli has also benefited from the unwavering support of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who stood by his protégé through a challenging 2024 season. The presence of experienced race engineer Peter Bonnington has further strengthened the environment around the young champion.

Vettel himself had pre-empted the record being broken, saying at Monza earlier in the season that he would be delighted for Antonelli to take it from him. Under current superlicence regulations, lowering Antonelli’s record further would require a driver to win a maiden world title as a teenager — a feat that makes the achievement all the more remarkable.