Antonelli ‘delivering as a driver’ says Verstappen ahead of Monaco GP
7th June 2026Red Bull Racing’s four-time world champion, Max Verstappen, has praised Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, saying the young Italian star is ‘delivering as a driver,’ ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Feature image credit: Getty Images // Red Bull Content Pool
Antonelli entered the Formula 1 world with a big risk behind him, one that Mercedes was willing to take after seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton announced his exit to Ferrari. Now, that risk is being proven right.
The Italian star currently leads the world championship in his sophomore year, leading his more experienced teammate, George Russell, by 43 points. Heading into Monaco, despite a troubled start to the weekend, Antonelli found the pace on Saturday to challenge the likes of Ferrari and Verstappen, who looked to be favourites to secure pole position.
With an almighty lap, he slotted home his fourth pole of the season, pipping Verstappen – who had taken the position provisionally – by 0.043 seconds. The Italian and Verstappen will share the front row ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Speaking after qualifying, Verstappen praised the 19-year-old’s talent. He said:
“I think you see a few guys grow up from younger categories that have something special and when they switch categories, they are immediately quick.
“I think that was quite clear with Kimi, so that was not a surprise. But then, of course, when you get to Formula 1, it’s not only talent. Things have to come together. You need to become a more all-around driver and then, of course, you need to have the package to be able to do it.
“But I think this year he’s showing that once he has a package that can do it, he is delivering as a driver. So that’s great to see and that’s what he has to do.”
Perhaps Verstappen is one of the few people who could make a comment like this on the young teenager. Like Antonelli before him, Verstappen and the Mercedes driver share similar paths as they made their way to the F1 grid.
Firstly, both of the drivers were very young when they were signed on to join the grid. Verstappen still holds the title as the youngest-ever F1 driver at 17, but Antonelli is just behind him, third youngest overall at 18 years old.
Both drivers also jumped the junior categories before landing their first racing seat in F1. Verstappen was plucked by Toro Rosso for 2015, after competing in the Formula 3 European Championship, whereas Antonelli skipped Formula 3 and spent a season in Formula 2 before being handpicked by Mercedes.
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
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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.
