Champions are recognized
That Max Verstappen has a ‘soft spot’ for Andrea Kimi Antonelli has been clear since last season. The Italian driver badly knocked out the four-time world champion at the start in Austria by braking too late in Turn 3, but Verstappen certainly did not make a drama out of it, venting only generally over the radio without actually knowing who was at fault.
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On the occasion of an event organized before the Italian GP in Milan by the sponsor Mercedes IWC, a Swiss luxury watch brand, Andrea Kimi Antonelli did not hide the fact that he was surprised by the sympathy shown by Verstappen towards him.
“I don’t know exactly why he took to me so well, but I’m not complaining. It’s always better to have him on your side – Antonelli’s words reported by Umberto Zapelloni on his blog topspeedblog.it – Max is a very nice person. Knowing him, he is very different from how he may appear from the outside. I have the goal of doing a 24-hour race together with him.”
“He is one of the best, if not the best on the grid right now – added Antonelli – he is fast, strong, complete and above all in difficult situations he always manages to turn everything around. You can never count him out. Even when his weekend seems uphill, at some point he comes through. Having him in front or behind is terrible at the same time, because passing him is very difficult, while when he is behind you sooner or later you know you will see him again in the mirrors even if you think you have dropped him, it’s like in horror movies.”
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