Lewis Hamilton has offered support to young driver Kimi Antonelli, who has been facing challenges during his debut Formula 1 season. Antonelli, 18, started the season well but has struggled to find form in the European races, failing to score in any of the six weekends held so far and not finishing four of them. His best performance came at the Canadian Grand Prix, where he secured his first podium, but he has since faced difficulties.
Expressing his struggles, Antonelli mentioned a lack of confidence with the car, feeling like he has regressed and is exacerbating the existing issues. Despite starting from the pit lane with new engine components in the Belgian Grand Prix, Antonelli could only manage a 16th-place finish, significantly behind the points-paying positions.
In contrast, Hamilton, who also started from the pit lane, had a more successful race, finishing seventh in his Ferrari, 46 seconds ahead of Antonelli. Hamilton, a seven-time F1 champion, approached Antonelli after the race, offering him words of encouragement and support.
Hamilton commended Antonelli for his efforts at such a young age, acknowledging the challenges of being thrust into high-level competition at 18. He praised Antonelli’s team and support network, particularly highlighting the presence of Bono, his experienced race engineer.
Despite their on-track rivalry, Hamilton’s gesture towards Antonelli demonstrates sportsmanship and camaraderie within the Formula 1 community. Fans can catch all the F1 action live with Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, which also includes access to over 100 TV channels, Netflix, and Discovery+.