The Belgian Grand Prix weekend proved to be especially challenging for young Italian driver Kimi Antonelli, who struggled right from the first free practice session on Friday. However, the 18-year-old Mercedes driver was able to find some encouragement in the form of supportive words from seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, who stepped in to boost his morale during a tough Grand Prix.
The Mercedes Formula One Team is currently going through a phase of transition and performance inconsistency, and Kimi Antonelli, as the team’s rookie, has been feeling the pressure. Despite high expectations for his first full season in Formula 1, the European rounds of the 2025 World Championship have so far failed to meet his own goals or the hopes of the team.
One of the main issues Kimi Antonelli has been dealing with is the unstable behavior of his Mercedes single-seater during corner entry. The car tends to be nervous and unpredictable in that phase of driving, which has gradually eroded his confidence behind the wheel. A series of small but costly mistakes in recent races has further complicated his adaptation to the top tier of motorsport. Despite his young age, Antonelli has been tasked with representing a team as prestigious as Mercedes, a responsibility that inevitably comes with intense scrutiny.
The support from Lewis Hamilton
After the qualifying session at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Kimi Antonelli was visibly emotional and appeared to be on the verge of tears. The young Italian had just completed another disappointing session during a difficult period marked by underwhelming results. Since the Grand Prix in Imola, his only positive highlight has been the podium finish in Canada—an especially remarkable achievement considering it was his first time racing at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Kimi Antonelli has been facing mounting pressure both internally and externally, and during the Belgian weekend, Lewis Hamilton made a point of offering his support.
“He came by to greet the team, and obviously we exchanged a few words,” said Antonelli when asked about the interaction. “He told me to keep my head up, that it’s completely normal to have bad weekends, and that I just have to believe in myself. He was very kind.”
Interestingly, both Mercedes drivers were eliminated in Q1—not only during Saturday’s standard qualifying session but also in the Sprint Shootout earlier in the weekend. However, Lewis Hamilton managed to deliver a significantly better performance in the Grand Prix itself, making up several positions in the early laps thanks to a strong start and a well-timed pit stop strategy executed perfectly by the team.
As for Kimi Antonelli, his Mercedes W16 was configured with a higher-downforce aerodynamic setup in an effort to give him more grip and stability in the wet conditions that affected much of the weekend. The setup choice was made specifically to help the rookie driver regain confidence, particularly in the rain-affected portions of the race.
Lewis Hamilton later praised Kimi Antonelli’s efforts and acknowledged how tough the situation must be for such a young driver: “I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be doing what he’s doing at 18 years old,” said the seven-time Formula 1 world champion. “He didn’t even have a driving license when he started racing at this level. There’s a lot of pressure on his shoulders. He’s doing an incredible job, and he has a fantastic support team around him. He has Pete Bonnington—’Bono’—by his side, and there’s no one better than him.”
The Ferrari driver’s public and private support serves as a strong vote of confidence in Antonelli’s potential and reflects the level of respect the young driver has already earned inside the Mercedes garage. As Antonelli continues to grow and mature as a Formula 1 driver, the backing of a legendary figure like Lewis Hamilton could prove crucial in helping him overcome these early hurdles in his debut season.
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