Verstappen and Hamilton joke on Antonelli Monaco GP Start

Both Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton have jokingly given Mercedes polesitter Kimi Antonelli advice on how to start the Monaco Grand Prix.

Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool

Antonelli secured his fifth pole position of the season and his first at Monaco, after beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to the top spot by the narrowest of margins: 0.043 seconds.

Mercedes’ championship leader looked to be on the pace all day on Saturday, taking the best time in the final hour of practice, toppling Ferrari’s early monopoly of fastest lap times set on Friday’s FP1 and FP2 sessions. Going into qualifying, Antonelli did not let up and continued with his newfound performance.

The young 19-year-old Italian star claimed that qualifying was intense as he chalked up another pole, and after claimed he was still ‘shaking’ after taking pole. He said:

“Still kind of shaking, to be fair. It’s just super intense. You have no margin for mistakes and when it’s about polishing those last two, three tenths, it’s never easy.

“Especially when Max is so close, and also the Ferrari, Lewis, has been so strong the whole weekend. Definitely it’s not easy, but obviously very happy to come away with pole today.”

Embed from Getty Images

However, claiming pole position is one thing, keeping it on the race start is another for the Italian driver.

Across all of the races so far in the season, Antonelli has always lost track position when the lights went out. In contrast, in each of the last four races, he has recovered to win.

But Monaco has a notorious problem with overtaking, as the narrow, tight nature of the Monegasque streets makes it almost impossible to pass for track position. Meaning, his nature of race starts could be problematic on the Italian’s chances of securing a fifth consecutive race win.

When questioned on any advice both Verstappen and Hamilton could give to the 19-year-old, on the race start, they jokingly gave their advice.

“So, when the lights go out, you wait one second. That’s my advice!” Joked Verstappen.

“Yeah, I’m one step behind, so two seconds,” Hamilton joined in.

Hamilton gave ‘it absolutely everything’ after P3 in Monaco GP qualifying

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Antonelli pips Verstappen to seal Monaco Grand Prix pole
• Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur to miss Saturday running after medical checks
• McLaren fined for technical breach at Monaco GP
• Hamilton tops second practice at Monaco Grand Prix
• Charles Leclerc leads Ferrari 1-2 at Monaco Grand Prix practice
• Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc summoned to stewards ahead of Monaco GP
• Why the Monaco Grand Prix Two-Stop mandate failed

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.