Verstappen jokes about what Antonelli had that he lacked at 20

Max Verstappen gave a deadpan answer when asked what Kimi Antonelli had at 20 that he himself lacked: “Well, he speaks Italian…” The joke drew a laugh, but Verstappen stressed that their careers could not be compared directly.

Verstappen made his F1 debut at 17 and said he spent a long time without a car capable of fighting for the championship. Antonelli, by contrast, stepped straight into a top team. Verstappen said that setting brought closer scrutiny and made it harder for Antonelli to develop away from the spotlight.

Verstappen said Antonelli had difficult moments during his 2025 rookie season but learned from them; he was “right there” from the start of 2026. The Dutchman also said he most admires Antonelli’s grounded character, valuing it even more than the young driver’s qualities behind the wheel.