Nico Rosberg takes everyone by surprise with his comments on Kimi Antonelli: the comparison sparks debate

Andrea Kimi Antonelli is getting closer and closer to his first world championship title at just 20 years old, and now many Formula 1 greats are beginning to sing the praises of the very young driver from Bologna who has amazed the premier class of motorsports. But Nico Rosberg may have gone even further with a remarkable comparison.

“No one would have thought he’d drive so brilliantly; he’s world-class, on par with Michael Schumacher,” he told RTL. This statement sparked a debate on social media between those who see Antonelli as a future star on par with the best in the sport and those who don’t consider him to be at that level.

“Kimi Antonelli is a phenomenon; we didn’t expect this at all—no matter which expert you ask, not even I expected it,” Rosberg admitted. “I knew he was very, very fast; I’ve known him since his karting days. In the end, he was the only one consistently in the lead. Everyone else behind him makes mistakes and is sometimes slow, then fast, then slow again. He’s always right there—an incredible performance.”

“He fully deserves the title, and no one can take it away from him now,” continued Rosberg, who then clarified that the best driver on the grid, however, is someone else. “Max Verstappen is still the best driver in this sport. And as soon as he has a car that gives him even a decent chance to win and dominate, he does it—he’s a phenomenon. We saw that again last weekend. But he can’t catch up to Antonelli anymore.”