Former Components 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has argued that Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington is a “large half” of Kimi Antonelli’s spectacular type at Mercedes.
After a closely scrutinised begin to his F1 profession, which included a high-profile crash throughout his FP1 debut at Monza, Antonelli has firmly discovered his ft at Mercedes.
The 19-year-old turned the youngest driver to steer the standings within the historical past of the championship, and has now prolonged the hole to his team-mate George Russell in second to twenty factors.
Whereas 1996 F1 champion Damon Hill described Antonelli’s win on the Miami Grand Prix as “stupendous”, Montoya, who joined Hill on the BBC Chequered Flag Podcast, pointed to the assist from Bonnington as a significant component in Antonelli’s success.
“I feel Bono is a giant a part of it,” he mentioned. “I feel Bono has received a lot with Lewis, and I feel he is moulding Kimi and dealing with Kimi.”
He added: “What Kimi has that is actually good is the aggression stage, he is decided. If you happen to have a look at him in qualifying, the quantity of monitor he was utilizing in comparison with everyone else, he was utilizing the entire monitor.
Peter Bonnington, Race Engineer, Mercedes
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
“I used to be shocked while you have a look at George and George has the movies, the information and every part, and he can see the place Kimi goes and every part. In some unspecified time in the future, it is advisable strive it, and whether or not you are comfy or not is a special story, however you not less than want to stay it on the market for a lap and see how one can make it work.”
Bonnington beforehand labored with Michael Schumacher, initially as his efficiency engineer at Mercedes earlier than turning into his race engineer in September 2011.
After the German driver retired on the finish of 2012, Bonnington turned the senior race engineer for Lewis Hamilton. He remained with Hamilton till he left the Brackley outfit on the finish of 2024, and the pair celebrated six of Hamilton’s seven drivers’ championship titles collectively.
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