Kimi Antonelli has revealed what Lewis Hamilton told him away from the cameras during the Belgian Grand Prix as rumours continue around Max Verstappen's potential move to Mercedes.
It was a difficult weekend for Antonelli at the Belgian GP, as he finished 16th in both Saturday's sprint race and Sunday's grand prix.
After a difficult qualifying session on Saturday, the Italian 18-year-old was pictured in tears.
Now he has revealed that former Mercedes star Hamilton spoke to him after the race to lift his spirits.
Advert
.He said: "He came to say hi to the team and we had a couple of words.
"He was telling me to keep my head up and that it's normal to have bad weekends.
"And just to keep believing in myself, it was really nice."
Despite the disappointment in Belgium, it has been a promising rookie season for Antonelli.
Advert
Still just 18, he sits seventh in the driver's standings, which is the best of this year's rookies, although he is driving the fastest car compared to the others.
He has collected 63 points, while his teammate George Russell has 157, but the Englishman is far more experienced having started his F1 career back in 2019.
Could Kimi Antonelli lose his Mercedes seat?
It is highly unlikely Antonelli would drop Mercedes just one year in but nothing is guaranteed in Formula 1.
Advert
Neither Russell nor Antonelli have been confirmed for 2026, with growing rumours linking Verstappen with a move to Mercedes.
Toto Wolff is a known admirer of the Dutchman and tried to sign him last season, before he recommitted to Red Bull.
After a difficult year for Verstappen, there has again been speculation linking him with a move away from the team.
Advert
It is unclear what the impact of Christian Horner's sacking as Red Bull team principal will have on the Dutchman's future.
But next season will see one of the biggest ever shake-ups of the F1 rule book and Mercedes appear to be in the strongest position with their engine.
Verstappen may see that as the perfect time to jump ship.
If he were to join Mercedes, it was initially expected that Russell would leave, despite him recording five podium finishes this season, including a race win in Canada.
Advert
But if Antonelli suffers more disappointing results like he did in Belgium, then it may persuade Wolff to stick with Russell.
Although a Russell and Verstappen partnership could be exciting, it would be a challenge to manage the pair.
Topics: Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Mercedes, Motorsport, Red Bull Racing, George Russell
James Taylor