Former System 1 driver David Coulthard says Kimi Antonelli’s cost from nineteenth on the grid to win the Italian Grand Prix was a career-defining efficiency that sits alongside drives from the best drivers within the historical past of the collection.
The Mercedes driver secured his seventh profession grand prix win in entrance of his residence crowd at Monza, changing into the primary Italian driver to win the occasion in 60 years.
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“That is up there with the greats,” Coulthard defined when reflecting on Antonelli’s efficiency in the course of the Up To Pace podcast.
“I do not need to be seen to be elevating a 20-year-old with solely seven victories to his title into the echelons of Hamilton, Verstappen, Senna, Schumacher, you realize, the entire a number of world champions over the historical past of time. Vettel, who was there tearfully demonstrating Michael Schumacher’s former world championship automobile.
“To place your automobile to maintain out of bother, to do the whole lot that he did, put a unique helmet in there… If that was a Schumacher, if that was a Max, if that was a Senna, you’ll have gone, ‘Yeah, after all we’re seeing this as a result of that is what we’re used to seeing for them.’
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Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
“There must be a primary time for the whole lot, which is why he’s one thing like a phenomenon as a result of that is the high-water line for Kimi proper now. That is the perfect grand prix he is ever pushed. It is the perfect victory he is ever had. And that tells us now what he is able to. We knew he was a winner. We now know he is a racer and a winner.”
Antonelli’s win at Monza prolonged his lead within the drivers’ championship. He now holds a 66-point benefit over his team-mate George Russell within the standings. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton follows in third, 76 factors behind Antonelli.
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