Kimi Antonelli has revealed his admiration for the extraordinary ability of Max Verstappen to read a race, especially after the four-time world champion's impressive performance at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Antonelli had to start from 16th after a qualifying crash, while Verstappen, starting further up, surged forward and nearly won the race.
Despite fighting his way up to fifth, Antonelli couldn't hide his awe for Verstappen. "Max has really incredible vision during a race, on how to position the car," he told the media in Baku. He then cited a moment in Madrid, at the second chicane, when he tried to go around the outside of Lando Norris but bailed out and let him by. "My mistake there was to let him by straight away because I knew Max was going on the outside in that corner. He saw the opportunity and went for it," he added.
For Antonelli, Verstappen's ability to read a situation in a split second is always fascinating. "That's always fascinating, because in a very short amount of time he can read a situation well, and he can always, in this scenario, find a gap to get a position," he explained. The young Mercedes driver did not hesitate to call it a special talent rarely seen in other drivers.
Beyond racing vision, Antonelli also praised Verstappen and Red Bull's ability to bounce back from adversity. "Also, seeing him so close on the track, it's how well he can flip situations even when they're not looking good," he said. "I remember Monaco this year in FP3; they looked quite far back, and then in qualifying, he almost put it on pole. With Max, what's great is that it's also the unknown at times, especially in free practice; you don't really know his full potential. But when it matters, he always finds something more, which is really fascinating to see."
Antonelli's praise shows how he is beginning to understand the traits that make Verstappen one of the most successful drivers in F1 history. The experience of battling wheel-to-wheel has given him valuable lessons about a champion's mentality. Moreover, with the RB22's fluctuating performance, Verstappen's ability to mask the car's weaknesses stands out even more.
On the other hand, Antonelli himself is enduring a debut season full of ups and downs. The qualifying incident in Baku was a blow, but he managed to fight back and score points. The Italian driver continues to show progress, and experiences like Baku will be valuable lessons for his future.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix witnessed how Verstappen, despite not having the fastest car, remains a threat. Starting from third, he surged into the lead before eventually finishing second. Meanwhile, Antonelli, starting from the back, finished fifth. This result shows that in Verstappen's hands, Red Bull can still be competitive.
For F1 fans, the duel between young talents like Antonelli and the reigning champion Verstappen will be an intriguing spectacle for the rest of the season. If Antonelli continues to learn from moments like this, it's not impossible that he will become the successor to Verstappen's dominance in the future.
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