Antonelli explains what he is learning from Hamilton and Verstappen

Kimi Antonelli, the current Formula 1 championship leader, has outlined what he is learning from racing alongside Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. At the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, the Italian finished second, behind winner Verstappen and ahead of Hamilton in third. Antonelli had started third. Speaking at the post-race press conference at the Sepang International Circuit, he explained what he gains from competing against them.

“It’s always great to be able to share the track with Max and Lewis. They are rewriting history… Lewis basically made the history of the sport, and Max is doing the same,” the Mercedes driver said. He added: “On my side, I try to learn as much as possible whenever I’m driving close to them.”

The safety-car restarts gave him opportunities to watch how they handled difficult conditions. Antonelli highlighted Verstappen’s control on slick tyres and a slippery track: “He knew much better how to position the car and had a better feel for the grip in the first two corners; he overtook me.” Although frustrated in the moment, Antonelli viewed the episode as a useful lesson for the future.

Hamilton offers a different example: consistency when things go wrong. Antonelli said the Briton keeps his head down and continues to do his best to achieve the best result possible. For the championship leader, those lessons come through direct competition with two champions, in a race where he turned third place on the grid into second at the finish.