Kimi Antonelli opens up on his relationship with Max Verstappen ahead of 2025 Mercedes drive

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If anyone can understand the pressure Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli is set to face next season, it’s three-time world champion Max Verstappen.

When Red Bull placed Max Verstappen in their junior Toro Rosso team at the beginning of the 2015 season, he was still six months away from his 18^th birthday.

Verstappen didn’t have a license to drive on the road yet, and there was a point this year when it looked like Kimi Antonelli could achieve the same feat.

The FIA introduced a rule after Verstappen’s debut that meant no driver could take part in F1 before the age of 18 without special dispensation.

READ MORE: Who is 2025 Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli? Everything to know

That dispensation was awarded this year, although it turns out it wasn’t for Antonelli after he was linked with replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams.

Verstappen admitted he wasn’t a fan of the rule that prevented Antonelli and other young drivers from entering the sport, but that won’t be an issue when the Italian makes his full debut next year.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport at an event in Italy, Antonelli opened up on his relationship with the 27-year-old.

Antonelli and Verstappen will soon be rivals on the track, with the gap between Mercedes and Red Bull much narrower now than it was 12 months ago.

While the teenager doesn’t expect any special treatment from Verstappen, he’s got a lot of respect for the Red Bull star and admitted to racing him in the past.

Kimi Antonelli a big fan of ‘great’ Max Verstappen ahead of his F1 debut

Asked about his relationship with the triple world champion, Antonelli said: “I’ve spoken to him a few times and he’s a great person, I like him a lot.

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

“We’ve also raced against him on the simulator and he follows the minor categories a lot.

“On the track, he’s seen as very rigid, but off it, he’s very easy-going, normal.”

Verstappen is close to several current F1 drivers away from the sport, including his closest rival Lando Norris.

Norris has admitted to hating everyone while he’s in the car, but the paddock seems much friendlier now than during previous generations of the sport.

Verstappen is also close with Nico Hulkenberg and it’s been suggested in the past that a Verstappen-Hulkenberg pairing at Le Mans wouldn’t be out of the question.

How Lewis Hamilton has helped Kimi Antonelli ahead of replacing him at Mercedes

Of the three world champions currently on the grid, Antonelli already has a relationship with two of them.

Antonelli has been working closely with Lewis Hamilton in the lead-up to replacing him at Mercedes next year.

Hamilton surprised Antonelli with his advice at the Singapore Grand Prix and was on hand when he made his FP1 debut at Monza.

Although that outing ended prematurely and with George Russell’s car in the barrier, that didn’t worry team principal Toto Wolff.

He admitted it’s much better to have to calm a driver down in that situation than for them to have to try and find an extra level of pace.