Lewis Hamilton displayed his true character with a gracious message for Kimi Antonelli after the Italian teenager won the Monaco Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion finished second in Monte Carlo, drawing level with Ayrton Senna for the most podium finishes at the iconic street circuit.
Age Gap, Mutual Respect
The age difference between winner and runner-up was striking: Antonelli, at just 18, is half Hamilton's age. Yet on track, the gap was minimal. Hamilton's runner-up spot marked his first time in second place in the Drivers' Championship since the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Speaking after the race, Hamilton was effusive in his praise for the Mercedes driver, who now leads the championship standings after five consecutive Grand Prix victories. No driver has achieved such a streak without eventually being crowned world champion.
Hamilton's Words
“Kimi was amazing today and all weekend,” Hamilton said. “Mercedes have clearly been ahead of everybody for quite some time and we couldn't match them. He did a phenomenal job and I'm so grateful that I get to witness him in his moment. And this is his moment. I'm grateful to be up there and to share and see that.”
Hamilton also thanked his own team for their efforts: “I'm very, very thankful to my team because, coming from such a horrendous year last year, I'm finally in a position where I'm reigniting the passion and the belief they had in me when I first joined. After a really big slump last year, to come back up, it's great to see the fight in them. They've done a fantastic job. We've got a lot of work to try to close that gap, though.”
Antonelli's Reaction
Antonelli, in turn, acknowledged his own stellar performance: “It's been an incredible weekend, an incredible race. It was one of those days where we had incredible pace and it was just coming all so naturally. The car was feeling incredible and it was just giving me the confidence to push, so it was a very enjoyable day.”
He added: “The job's not finished – it's still a long season and we've got to keep pushing, keep raising the bar, and the goal is to keep performing like this. The team have done an incredible job – they've given us an incredible car, and I've got so much support from the team as well, and from my family. It's a really good moment so far.”
