Kimi Antonelli revealed that Lewis Hamilton paid him and his former staff a go to forward of the F1 Belgian Grand Prix.
Antonelli was chosen as Hamilton’s alternative at Mercedes for the 2025 F1 season following the seven-time world champion’s shock choice to go away the staff.
The Italian has proven flashes of tempo throughout his rookie F1 season.
Antonelli took pole for the Miami dash race with a formidable lap.
He additionally scored his first podium on the Canadian Grand Prix.
Nevertheless, Antonelli has struggled for kind because the begin of the European season.
It has coincided with Mercedes’ dip in kind, with George Russell ending on the rostrum simply as soon as within the final seven races.
Talking after the race at Spa, Antonelli was requested about his chat with Hamilton forward of the race within the Mercedes hospitality.
“He got here to say hello to the staff, and positively, we had a few phrases,” Antonelli mentioned.
“He was telling me to maintain my head up and that it’s regular to have dangerous weekends. And simply to maintain believing. It was very nice.”
Hamilton was requested about Antonelli in his post-race interview with Sky Sports activities.
Hamilton conceded that it’s so much on his shoulders, given he’s 18, however mentioned he’s “doing an important job”.
“I can’t think about what it’s like at 18 – or attempt to think about what it’s like at 18 – to do what he’s doing,” Hamilton defined.
“He’s been doing implausible. However to be thrown in on the deep finish at 18… he hadn’t even had his driving licence when he first began racing.
“I believe it’s so much on somebody’s shoulders. He’s doing an important job and he’s obtained an important group of individuals round him. So, I believe you’ve simply obtained to take it in your stride, which I believe he’s.
“And he’s obtained Bono [race engineer Peter Bonnington, who formerly worked with Hamilton] by his facet. He doesn’t have anybody higher.”
One other powerful weekend for Antonelli
The Belgian GP was one to overlook for Antonelli, finally.
He was knocked out in Q1 within the two qualifying classes.
“These few laps the place I used to be in free air I positively had much more enjoyable,” he mirrored.
“Then being caught is kind of irritating, as a result of you may’t actually unleash the true tempo you will have. As soon as I used to be caught, I used to be two seconds slower unexpectedly.
“It was difficult, however I believe I shouldn’t be beginning that far again. I believe I have to work on my qualifying and work to get the boldness again with the automotive with the intention to begin extra on the entrance. As a result of in these races the place I began extra on the entrance, it was a totally totally different story.”
