Ralf Schumacher praised Kimi Antonelli after the Canadian GP and suggests that the young Mercedes driver could eventually become the ‘successor to Max Verstappen’. According to the former F1 driver, the current form of the Italian shows that he can not only win races but is also becoming mentally stronger in direct duels with teammate George Russell.
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“Yes, it was an epic duel,” Schumacher reflected on the Canadian GP with the German branch of Sky Sports. “And you have to admit that Kimi (Antonelli, ed.) handled it incredibly calmly and maturely. And George kept making mistakes. He made one himself, of course, but overall he was clearly the faster driver. You have to manage that at such a young age; keeping the situation under control, learning from your mistakes. So yes, he did great. If this continues, he might become the future successor to Max Verstappen.”
‘Russell buckles under the pressure’
The German especially sees how Antonelli has developed within Mercedes in a short time and how he is growing more and more into the role of team leader. “When he broke through in Formula 1, he already received a lot of praise, but at the same time, he was also someone who still needed some time. On top of that, Mercedes chose the wrong direction in car development last year. If I remember correctly, the rear axle was particularly lacking. But then Antonelli actually got going; he built momentum, was immediately fast on new circuits, and did what was asked of him. Now he is simply taking the next step.”
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According to Schumacher, Antonelli’s mental development is decisive in his rise, as he increasingly puts Russell under pressure within the team. “Now he wants to move forward, now he wants to lead the team. And you can feel that. He no longer gives George any breathing room – he constantly puts him under pressure. And George is also someone who, in my opinion, is super fast but maybe doesn’t handle pressure that well. We saw that again today.”
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