Andrea Kimi Antonelli impressed with strong performances at the end of the season and received high praise from none other than Max Verstappen.
Max Verstappen has expressly praised Formula 1 rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli after his strong performances in the second half of the season. One race in particular stuck in his mind: the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
There, the Mercedes rookie caused a stir when he made a strong comeback from 17th on the grid to finish fourth. Although he initially dropped back to fifth place due to a five-second penalty for a false start, he moved back up to third after the McLaren drivers were disqualified. After the race, there was a brief exchange with winner Max Verstappen, who gave Antonelli a thumbs up after Antonelli told him about his finishing position.
Verstappen impressed, but not surprised
When asked about this moment, the Red Bull driver admitted in retrospect: “I was obviously focused on my own race, and it was really just between me, Lando [Norris], and George [Russell] for the win, so I didn’t really pay much attention to what was happening behind me.”
But his respect was all the greater when he heard about Antonelli’s performance: “When he told me that, I just thought, ‘Wow, that’s really strong.’ And then I also saw how he managed to keep the tires alive. He had an incredible stint, even compared to George in the same car.”
Verstappen particularly emphasizes that Antonelli achieved these results on tracks that were new to him: “He really performed very well, and that on tracks he didn’t know before. In my opinion, that’s even more impressive.”
However, the fact that Antonelli can reach this level comes as no surprise to the four-time world champion: “Personally, I wasn’t too surprised that he managed it. You just have to let it happen, not overdo it or force it too much. Maybe that’s exactly what happened earlier in the season.”
A look back at the Antonelli duel in Brazil
Antonelli’s first year in Formula 1 was anything but straightforward. The Italian got off to a strong start in the 2025 season, scoring points in five of the first six races and adding a sprint pole in Miami. This was followed by a difficult phase.
In seven races, he only managed one more top result: third place in Canada. His enormous potential flashed through time and again, but unnecessary mistakes set the Italian back, including a crash in practice at the Dutch Grand Prix. However, Antonelli stabilized significantly towards the end of the season, with two podium finishes in the last three races. And so Verstappen’s conclusion is thoroughly positive: “I’m happy for him. It’s great to see, and I hope it continues.”
There are certainly parallels between Verstappen and Antonelli. Both entered Formula 1 as teenagers and impressed early on with their sheer speed, which was initially accompanied by mistakes. This explains why Verstappen repeatedly supported Antonelli in difficult moments.
On the track, the two fought an intense battle in Brazil. Verstappen put Antonelli under pressure in the final stages, but the Italian defended himself successfully. “Of course, I tried everything to get past him, to put him under pressure, but I would say I was one lap short,” said Verstappen.
But that’s exactly what he takes as an opportunity to once again emphasize the strength of his young opponent: “That’s racing. You can’t say you needed an extra lap. But that was another very strong performance from him.”
