Verstappen, the champion who praises Antonelli: “He is a great talent, I expected it”

The two one year ago

For the world championship leader, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the opportunity to forget the Spanish Grand Prix is approaching, where the Mercedes driver had to retire a few laps from the end due to a technical problem with his car. The Bolognese will appear at the Spielberg circuit, in Austria, where last season he was involved in a braking error that took out Max Verstappen shortly after the start. Once out of the car, he surprised the reaction of the four-time Dutch world champion, who spoke with Antonelli but without getting angry with him, then in his first F1 season.

A respect that remains unchanged

Now, a few days before the new edition of the Austrian GP, Verstappen had the opportunity to focus on the talent of the young Italian driver, praising the qualities of #12: “In general, at that age, being able to do what he is doing and also find that consistency is really impressive – he told the media, even more so after the five wins achieved by the 19-year-old in seven GPs contested in this world championship – even what he did in Monaco, at that age, is quite difficult, especially in qualifying when the pressure to deliver laps of that kind is very high. I’m simply happy for him that he is doing these things. He is a great talent. I knew it. I expected it. In a rookie season you have to make mistakes, but then it’s about learning from them, and I think he is doing that very well. It is really nice and impressive to see what he is doing now and also what he still has to offer.”

Antonelli and nothing else

A Verstappen therefore very impressed by Antonelli’s talent, although he did not want to make any comparisons between the Bolognese and other champions of the past: “For comparisons, he himself said, it is important not to look at others or try to be like someone else. Be yourself. He knows it and just has to do everything his own way. Because that is how you grow, doing things your own way, and it is also very important to be your own star.”

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