Lewis Hamilton Hails Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Miami Grand Prix Sprint Pole

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton expressed heartfelt admiration for 18-year-old rookie driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who clinched the pole position for Saturday’s sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix. Hamilton, who once raced for the same team as Antonelli, lauded the young Italian’s achievement and praised his former colleagues Toto Wolff and Pete “Bono” Bonnington.

A Promising Start for Antonelli in Mercedes Line-up

Antonelli was promoted to the Mercedes line-up to replace Hamilton when he moved to Ferrari, and his impressive performance at Miami Grand Prix has validated the team’s decision to invest in youth rather than a more experienced driver for 2025.

Hamilton shared a video of Antonelli’s celebrations on Instagram, expressing his delight at the moment, particularly in light of Mercedes‘ commitment to nurturing young talent. He acknowledged the challenges that Antonelli faced during the race but encouraged him to stay true to his style and continue his current trajectory.

Hamilton emphasized that he had not witnessed the start of the race due to the challenging rain conditions, but he commended Antonelli for his resilience and urged him to learn from the experience. He encouraged fans to tune in for Sunday’s watch along on Race Center Live by signing up here.