Former F1 champions praise Antonelli: ‘He’s made everyone else look silly’

The past three Formula 1 world champions were all full of praise for the latest winner Kimi Antonelli, with Lando Norris saying the Italian “made everyone else look silly”.

Antonelli secured his first championship in just his second season in Formula 1 with a third-place finish in the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday. That result gives the 20-year-old the title with four rounds still remaining this season, and Norris, who has now given up the crown as defending champion, says the level of performance Antonelli has achieved should not be overlooked.

“Unbelievable. I think what he's done is he's blown everyone away,” Norris said. “I hope everyone gives him enough credit for what he's achieved this year because he's made everyone else look silly. He’s driven that well, and he's been able to click with his car. He's worked hard to understand how to drive this car, and he's exploited it better than anyone else.

“So he deserves every single bit of success, he deserves these moments he's doing now and celebrating and I hope he celebrates it properly with his family and his friends and everything, but he deserves it.

“He’s had an unbelievable year, and it's even more impressive that it's only his second season in Formula 1. He's 20 years old. It's incredible. I'm very happy for him, I'm very happy to see my No. 1 go over to him because he deserves it, so I'm in a way happy to see it go.”

Norris says the way Antonelli has largely dominated the Mercedes internal battle this season shows what a level of performance and consistency he has been able to achieve.

“I think the fact it's his second year, he has a very strong team mate but he’s beaten him the whole time, the whole season. Count how many mistakes he's made this season, I don't even think you could put it on one hand, honestly.

“He's had an incredible season, he's come from the back of the grid, he's won from the front, he's done everything he needs to do and he's been there every single race, and that’s something that no one else, not one other driver can say that they've done this season.

“So his consistency, his performance, he's smashed everyone, smashed the guy in the same car as him and that's difficult to do, so that's been very impressive.”

Max Verstappen pointed to Antonelli’s ability to deliver at such a young age as one of the most notable aspects of the new champion’s achievement in his view.

“I think to achieve this in your second year in Formula 1 is always very impressive,” Verstappen said. “Because at his age as well, to be so solid, not make big mistakes, and, of course, also beat your experienced teammate, he's just driven incredible. And I'm very proud of him, how he has handled himself this whole season. It's not always easy to deliver every single weekend, but he has done that, and he's the deserved champion this year.”

And seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton added that it was special to be competing alongside Antonelli as he broke Sebastian Vettel’s record as youngest F1 champion in history.

“A huge congratulations to Kimi and the Mercedes team,” Hamilton said. “It's great to see them all up here celebrating their success. Youngest world champion ever is pretty phenomenal, and I'm so grateful to be in the race to witness it.”