Hamilton offers Antonelli vital advice to avoid Monza repeat

Lewis Hamilton has offered Kimi Antonelli a sage piece of advice ahead of the young Italian’s latest practice outing to ensure there is no repeat of what transpired at Monza.

Antonelli was just 10 minutes into his F1 debut at the start of the Italian Grand Prix weekend, and after setting a blistering pace on his first lap, when he crashed the Mercedes of George Russell at the high-speed Parabolica, suffering a 52g impact which left him feeling unwell.

Twenty-four hours later, and after shaking off the physical discomfort and personal embarrassment, the 18-year-old was confirmed as the replacement for Ferrari-bound Hamilton for next season.

Antonelli returns to the cockpit of the W15 for first practice ahead of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix, and with the words of a seven-time F1 champion ringing in his ears.

Asked whether he had any concerns about Antonelli taking over his car, and with Mercedes seemingly up against it regarding parts for this weekend, speaking to media including RacingNews365, Hamilton said: “I don’t personally feel that. Going into Monza we didn’t approach it in that way.

“Kimi is young, and he’s learned from his first outing in Monza. We did our briefing together, because he’s working with Bono [race engineer Pete Bonnington] next year and, obviously here, and I’m here to support in any way I can.

“What’s key is, and as I said to him, he doesn’t have to set the world alight on the first lap. Just build into it, enjoy. I told him the track is really dirty early on.

“Whatever we’re faced with, we’ll handle, but I don’t think he’ll have any problems.”

Hamilton – More data needed

Hamilton will take up the reins of his troublesome W15 for second practice just five days after a rare crash on the opening laps of a race, instigated by a “three-wheeling” car that lost the left rear into Turn 3 at the Circuit of the Americas where a 40mph tailwind played its part.

The 39-year-old also said the new floor on the car also arguably contributed, believing it “felt a little bit more sensitive” compared to the previous iteration.

That floor, however, will remain on the car at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez given the fact the circuit “is much less bouncy” and the team “need to get more data”.