Hamilton says Antonelli deserves the F1 title as crown nears

Lewis Hamilton believes Kimi Antonelli has earned the right to become Formula 1 champion, with the Mercedes driver arriving at the United States Grand Prix in Austin on the verge of a maiden title.

Antonelli leads team-mate George Russell by 102 points. Hamilton, now racing for Ferrari, is 111 points behind the Italian. Antonelli could clinch the championship this weekend if he wins and the two British drivers have difficult races.

Hamilton praises Antonelli’s progress

Hamilton said he had seen Antonelli around the Mercedes team before his own departure, and supported the decision to give the young driver a seat. He pointed to the Italian’s ability in the junior categories, enthusiasm and fit within the team environment.

The seven-time champion also recognised the pressure that comes with joining a leading team. Antonelli, he said, has handled those expectations well and delivered an impressive season. Hamilton’s verdict was that the Mercedes driver “deserves to be the champion”.

Antonelli’s title bid has drawn support elsewhere, including in Raikkonen’s backing for the young Italian.

Hamilton joked that his advice to the title contender would be to “slow down”, then added that Antonelli did not need guidance. He praised the youngster’s talent, calmness and conduct, saying he was proud of how Antonelli had carried himself both on and off the track. Hamilton also said he was pleased to see his former team succeeding.

A standout campaign after a demanding debut

Antonelli’s first season was challenging, with mistakes and a pace deficit to Russell. His second campaign has been markedly stronger: he has claimed six pole positions and eight wins in 17 rounds. No other driver has won more than three grands prix this season.

He has also finished on the podium at all but three events. The source article identifies Barcelona and Silverstone, where failures affected his races, and Baku among the exceptions. Antonelli’s home victory at Monza was particularly striking, as he won after starting 19th. Further context on that weekend appears in our report on his Monza grid penalty and championship priorities.

Hamilton said he was not surprised by Antonelli’s performance, crediting the support around him at Mercedes. He named race engineer Peter Bonnington, trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin, chief engineer Simon Cole and team principal Toto Wolff as important parts of the environment.

The Ferrari driver drew a comparison with his own early years at McLaren and Mercedes, saying a driver’s success depends not only on individual ability but also on the people supporting them. Antonelli, he added, had taken the demands of the season in his stride.