Kimi Antonelli started his second season on the Formula 1 grid on the right foot. And because he is already in his second year, he revealed that the mentorship from Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton has decreased considerably.
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In his debut year, the young Italian relied on important advice from both multi-world champions. Now, in 2026, he leads the championship with 72 points, nine more than his teammate George Russell.
It turns out that Antonelli recognized that the dynamic has now changed, as he appears as a threat. “Last year, they were very receptive and helped me a lot. But now they have stopped,” he told BILD.
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Before going to Ferrari in 2025, Hamilton gave important advice to Kimi when the Italian was part of the Mercedes program. Speaking about the tips, he said that “the idea that I should always be myself and enjoy what I do to be fast. The pressure in this environment is so great that it’s easy to forget that.”
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