Kimi Antoneli, inspired by the early years of Formula 1’s Max Verstappen, says he calls the first entry in the four-time world champion to the sport “surprising.”
Verstappen was 17 years old on his debut in 2015 and scored 49 points for Toro Rosso and finished a full season with Toro Rosso, finishing four times twice before being promoted to Red Bull after four races in his second season. The Dutch won his Red Bull debut as an 18-year-old, adding six more podiums that year. Antoneri sees him as a role model following his own first podium at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Verstappen didn’t finish on the podium as Toro Rosso’s Formula 1 rookie in 2015, but showed enough to win a seat for Red Bull along with an ace like Fernando Alonso. Bryn Lennon/Getty Images
“Race in Formula 1 with the other 19 best drivers on the grid gives us a lot of motivation,” Antonelli said. “The opportunity to race at the best races and show you what you can do is a huge boost. Of course, it was very amazing to see what Max did over the years, especially during his rookie days.
“But at the end of the day, playing the best race is a great opportunity. And having someone like George (Russell) as a teammate really helps you improve, and it also has resulted in George (Canada).
Antonelli’s first podium came when Russell won in Montreal on a strong Mercedes weekend. And he believes Verstappen is just the beginning of an 18-year-old Italian.
“To me, that’s not a surprise,” Verstappen said. “I knew you were going through the cart cradle. People were already saying great things, so I was looking at him. What’s impressive is that he’s naturally fast.
“There was no doubt that this year’s podium would come. He had some unfortunate races. One of the sprints (Miami) was also my fault with the pit stop. But it was only a matter of time. I’m very happy what happened for him.
“You’re in your rookie season. There’s a lot to come to you. You learn from the weaker race, you learn from the good ones. In the coming years, certainly, we’ll see more you.”