Damon Hill doesn’t hold back when it comes to Kimi Antonelli

Former Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill expressed his admiration for Andrea Kimi Antonelli in an interview, as Antonelli moves ever closer to his first world title. What impresses the former Williams driver most is the Bologna native’s ability to adapt; he already seems like a veteran in his second season in the top tier. “His ability to learn is incredible—he’s twenty years old and in his second season in F1. He manages to adapt to any situation and stay calm. He seems like an ‘old hand.’ We say he’s a grown man with young arms. He’s incredibly mature; he’s been racing since he was five years old.”

“Kimi has something special—a unique talent I’ve seen in only a few,” he said in an interview with Corriere della Sera. “He’s one of those once-in-a-generation drivers, like Verstappen. And it’s not just because he manages to give his best in the car; it’s the way he carries himself in the world and in the world of F1. It’s how he relates to the team. He’s already strong and can only get better.”

Like many others, Damon Hill didn’t expect such a feat: “To me, it’s a mystery; Russell seemed to have everything under control, but then Kimi began not only to win but also to pass all those tests of maturity that a driver faces to become great. I think several other drivers would have trouble having Kimi as a teammate, given his intelligence and speed. He’s in the right place at the right time to usher in a new era, but with the current rules, I find it hard to imagine a single driver or manufacturer dominating for a long time.”

Damon Hill compares Kimi to Senna and Prost: “I see him as a bit of a combination of the two—fast and sharp. He’s not as aggressive as Max. But really, I think he’s just Kimi—a one-of-a-kind driver.”