Lewis Hamilton admits Kimi Antonelli already has one thing he never did after watching his Mercedes replacement on track

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Ferrari ace Lewis Hamilton is keen to help his replacement at Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, get through his difficult run of results since producing a ‘strong’ start in F1.

The Silver Arrows turned to their academy system a year ago after Hamilton elected to move to Ferrari, as team principal Toto Wolff picked Mercedes product Antonelli as the seven-time champion’s heir. Antonelli even went on to deliver a record-breaking start to his career in F1.

But since the Italian broke multiple records across the first six rounds of the 2025 F1 season, his form has evaporated across the seven rounds since. Antonelli’s debut F1 podium with P3 in the Canadian Grand Prix yielded the Bologna boy’s only points from the last seven rounds.

Antonelli has even only finished three of the last seven races ahead of this week’s Hungarian Grand Prix. He retired at Imola due to a throttle sensor issue, in Spain with an engine failure, in Austria after he crashed into Max Verstappen and in Britain after being hit by Isack Hadjar.

Lewis Hamilton ‘wasn’t’ ready for F1 at 18, but Andrea Kimi Antonelli is

Last week’s Belgian Grand Prix was a particularly painful weekend for Antonelli, too. He only managed P17 in the F1 Sprint at Spa after qualifying P20 and then just P16 in the Grand Prix after also qualifying P18. So, Hamilton was quick to put an arm around Antonelli’s shoulder.

READ MORE: Alex Jacques believes that Mercedes ‘regret’ one Andrea Kimi Antonelli career decision after his difficult Belgian Grand Prix

Hamilton and Antonelli had a heart-to-heart in the Spa paddock, as the 40-year-old tried to offer some support and suggestions for how the Italian can get his campaign back on track. The Briton has also addressed his help for Antonelli in Hungary, as he is ‘here’ for the teen.

While Antonelli is enduring a difficult time of late, Hamilton is confident that the rookie star ‘seems ready’ for F1 – which the 105-time Grand Prix winner could not say about himself at 18. Hamilton has also seen the ‘talent’ that Antonelli offers after following him on the track.

“I’m not trying to impose myself,” Hamilton said, via Motorsport-Total. “But I tell him, ‘If you need me, I’m here’.

“He already has a great environment around him, and he’s only 18. Personally, I wasn’t there at 18. But he seems ready, especially the first part of his season was strong. I’ve driven behind him a lot, and you can see he has the talent.”

Mercedes have removed their rear suspension upgrade to try to help Antonelli

Mercedes have removed their upgraded rear suspension from Antonelli’s car in Hungary in a bid to help the Italian rebuild the confidence he had with their W16 before the European leg of the season. He struggled to adjust to the design debuted at Imola and used since Canada.

READ MORE: Know all about 2025 Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli including stats

While the upgrade saw George Russell score the Silver Arrows’ only pole position and win of the year in Montreal, Mercedes feel their rear suspension upgrade led their engineers astray following their struggles at Spa, where Antonelli especially struggled for high-speed stability.

Without the upgraded rear suspension, Antonelli broke Verstappen’s record as F1’s youngest Grand Prix leader in Japan as he also became the youngest driver to record the fastest lap in a Grand Prix. Antonelli was also running in P7 in Spain before his engine failed on Lap 55/66.

In the final round before Mercedes initially debuted their rear suspension upgrade at Imola, Antonelli became the youngest-ever F1 polesitter in the Miami Sprint, as well. But his form nosedived after the Miami Grand Prix, which Antonelli will hope he can change in Hungary.