Max Verstappen found himself in a situation similar to Kimi Antonelli’s when he entered the world of Formula 1 at the age of 17 in 2015. There are rumors circulating that Mercedes may promote the 17-year-old prodigy to take Lewis Hamilton’s place, who is about to join Ferrari next season. Antonelli is being hailed as a potential future star of Formula 1, drawing parallels with Verstappen’s early career. Verstappen, a three-time world champion, offered some words of wisdom to the young Italian driver.
Verstappen emphasized that talent is clearly evident in Antonelli. He believes that a highly talented young driver should not worry about making mistakes during their debut. Verstappen suggests that Antonelli should embrace the opportunity to learn from these mistakes as he enters the pinnacle of motorsport. Drawing from his own experience, Verstappen recalls his first season at Toro Rosso (now RB), where he did not face immense pressure to stand out due to the team’s intermediate status. There are whispers that Antonelli may replace Logan Sargeant at Williams mid-season.
Furthermore, Verstappen believes that young drivers should be allowed to make some silly mistakes, even under self-imposed pressure to succeed. The reigning world champion states that drivers like Kimi Antonelli can only grow and progress in the sport by learning from their mistakes on the track. Finally, Verstappen advises Antonelli to focus solely on going as fast as possible and seeking positive results, without dwelling on past errors.
Undoubtedly, Max Verstappen can relate to the situation in which Antonelli finds himself. The Dutch driver understands the emotions and uncertainties that arise with rumors of a debut in F1. However, it remains to be seen whether Kimi Antonelli will have a short stint at Williams before eventually reaching Mercedes at the pinnacle of motorsport.
