(Motorsport-Total.com) – Charles Leclerc is not very surprised by the strong season so far from Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. The Ferrari driver has been following the Italian’s career for many years and sees his current level as a consequence of his extraordinary talent.
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“I have known Kimi for a very long time,” explains Leclerc. “I heard about him early on in the karting classes. When you get noticed so early, there is usually something special behind it.”
The Monegasque is particularly impressed by Antonelli’s natural speed. “I think what is really cool is the fact that he is simply very fast by nature in this car,” says Leclerc. “You can’t learn that. You can learn everything around it, but this pure speed is something that some drivers just have.”
Verstappen sees great potential
Max Verstappen also speaks appreciatively about the young Italian. The world champion explains that there are only a few drivers who can consistently perform at a high level at a young age. “Not many drivers can do that at this age,” says Verstappen. “That’s why it became very clear early on that he is a special talent. He is naturally a very gifted driver and it’s fun to see how well he is developing.”
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The Dutchman hopes that Antonelli can continue on his current path. “For Italy, it is great to have a driver fighting at the front again,” explains Verstappen. “I hope for him that he can maintain that and have a great career.”
However, Verstappen did not want to give concrete advice on how to deal with the growing pressure to the Mercedes junior. Every driver has to find their own way to handle the situation. Instead, the Red Bull driver pointed out that they regularly exchange ideas anyway and that Antonelli already seems well positioned.
Overall, the statements from Leclerc and Verstappen show how high the confidence in Antonelli’s talent already is. This increases the excitement about whether Antonelli can meet the high expectations at the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.
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