AUSTIN — Lewis Hamilton says Kimi Antonelli has been "massively impressive" and "deserves to be the champion" as the Mercedes driver stands on the verge of the Formula 1 world title at the United States Grand Prix. Going into Austin, Antonelli enjoys a 102-point lead over team-mate George Russell, with Hamilton 111 points adrift for Ferrari, meaning the sophomore can be crowned as early as this weekend if he wins and the Britons struggle.
Hamilton, whose move to Ferrari for the 2025 season paved the way for Antonelli's graduation to F1, said it was the right call to create an opportunity for the Mercedes junior. Antonelli was the first driver in nearly two decades to make his world championship debut in a top team. "I mean, when I was there, I knew who was going to be replacing me. Kimi was around the team, following us a lot, particularly in the last year that I was there," Hamilton said. "I think it was the right decision to create an opportunity for a young and up-and-coming driver. Kimi had shown his abilities in the lower categories and his enthusiasm, his charm and his good approach to everything. He was always fitting really well into the environment." He added: "In his first year, it's tough for anybody going into a seat like that, into a team like that, and getting up and running with all the expectations on your shoulders. But he's really taken it in his stride. It's been really great to see his performances this year. It's massively impressive, and he deserves to be the champion."
The Italian's rookie campaign at just 18 years of age was tricky — error-prone and lacking pace relative to Russell — but he has delivered in 2026 with six pole positions and eight victories in 17 rounds, including a resounding home triumph from 19th on the grid in Monza. Nobody else has won more than three grands prix, not even his team-mate. Even more impressively, Antonelli has finished on the podium at all but three rounds — Barcelona and Silverstone, where he suffered from a battery failure and a broken wheel shield respectively, and Baku, where he admitted he "drove like his grandmother".
Asked if he had any advice for the likely 2026 champion, the seven-time world champion joked: "Slow down. No, I don't know. He doesn't need any advice. He's shown this year – and also last year, but particularly this year – his talent and his ability, his calmness and his approach. He's done an amazing job this year, and I'm so proud of him." Hamilton added: "I'm so proud of the way he's carried himself, how he interacts with the drivers and even with you guys [the media]. It's great to see him and the team excel. If it's not my team, I'd always want to see my old team do well."
Hamilton said nothing in Antonelli's performance had surprised him, pointing to the support structure around him at Mercedes. "Bono [race engineer Peter Bonnington] is amazing at really putting his arm around you and supporting you, as are Shov [trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin] and Simon [Cole, chief engineer] and everyone in the team," he said. "Toto is exceptional at what he does and the environment he creates." Hamilton sees similarities with his own arrival alongside a double world champion at McLaren and later at Mercedes, but stressed the driver must still deliver under pressure: "I guess you never know how anyone's going to do under pressure until you see them. But he's taken it in his stride, and he's a relatively old soul in that young body, I would say."