Juan Pablo Montoya believes Formula 1 could have lost one of its greatest young talents if Andrea Kimi Antonelli had been part of a different driver academy. The former Formula 1 driver has praised Mercedes for continuing to support the Italian through a difficult rookie season, arguing that the team’s patience has been crucial to his remarkable progress towards the 2026 World Championship.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli now needs only a ninth-place finish at Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix to secure his first Formula 1 world title in just his second season, at the age of 20. Should the Mercedes driver achieve that result, he would surpass Sebastian Vettel’s record as the youngest world champion in F1 history, lowering the benchmark from 23 to 20 years old. Juan Pablo Montoya considers the Italian an exceptional talent and believes the way Mercedes handled his development should serve as a lesson to other Formula 1 teams.
Juan Pablo Montoya calls Kimi Antonelli the best 20-year-old driver in F1 history
Juan Pablo Montoya has no doubts about the level Andrea Kimi Antonelli has reached at such a young age. The Colombian believes Formula 1 has never previously seen a driver of comparable quality at 20 years old, highlighting the considerable progress made by the Mercedes youngster between his debut campaign and the current season.
“At that age, he’s the best ever,” Juan Pablo Montoya told Thunderpick. “If you look at the contrast between last year and this year, you can see how much he’s matured. I think what really stands out is that when you give a young driver the support, the right environment and the time to grow, you get extraordinary results.”
For Juan Pablo Montoya, Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s development demonstrates the importance of allowing young drivers to learn from their mistakes rather than expecting immediate success. His comments also appear to carry an implicit criticism of the approach adopted by some Formula 1 driver academies, which can be quick to replace promising youngsters when another talent emerges.
“I think it’s a good lesson for a lot of academies that probably had some truly extraordinary talents, but lost them because they were in a hurry to make room for the next up-and-coming driver. If Antonelli had been in another academy last year, given how he raced, there would have been a good chance that Antonelli wouldn’t be in F1 this year. And we probably would have missed out on one of the greatest talents in F1.”
The assessment comes as Andrea Kimi Antonelli approaches a potentially historic achievement in Mexico. His recent victory at the United States Grand Prix brought him closer to the world championship, while Toto Wolff has repeatedly expressed his admiration for the Italian’s performances.
Mercedes’ patience proves decisive in Kimi Antonelli’s development
Juan Pablo Montoya believes one of the most important aspects of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s progress has been the certainty surrounding his future at Mercedes. Even when the young driver made mistakes or struggled under pressure, the team continued to support him rather than questioning whether he deserved to retain his seat.
That stability allowed Andrea Kimi Antonelli to concentrate on improving his performances and gaining experience without the additional concern of potentially losing his place on the Formula 1 grid. According to Juan Pablo Montoya, the approach adopted by Mercedes illustrates how an encouraging environment can help an exceptional young talent reach his potential.
“Everyone supported him; they believed in him and told him, ‘It’s OK. We’re with you,'” Juan Pablo Montoya added. “There was never any doubt about his place in the team or his future. When you’re young, you make mistakes and you’re under pressure, and the team believes in you and tells you, ‘Hey, don’t worry, it’s part of growing up, we believe in you,’ it’s easy.”
Mercedes’ confidence in Andrea Kimi Antonelli has also been reflected in the relationship between the driver and the wider team. Toto Wolff has continued to back the Italian, while the support provided by his race engineer has played an important role in helping him develop into a championship contender.
Juan Pablo Montoya praises Peter Bonnington’s role in Kimi Antonelli’s success
Another figure singled out by Juan Pablo Montoya is Peter Bonnington, the experienced Mercedes race engineer who previously worked alongside Lewis Hamilton. Known throughout the Formula 1 paddock as Bono, the British engineer has played an important role in the Mercedes operation and now works directly with Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Having already built a highly successful partnership with Lewis Hamilton, Peter Bonnington has brought his experience to the Italian driver’s side of the garage. Juan Pablo Montoya believes his contribution has been particularly valuable, praising the engineer’s ability to support two drivers at different stages of their Formula 1 careers.
“I think a huge advantage for Mercedes is Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, Kimi’s race engineer, who used to work with Lewis. What he did with Hamilton and what he’s doing now is crazy. It’s extraordinary.”
The importance of that partnership was also evident during the United States Grand Prix, where Andrea Kimi Antonelli highlighted Peter Bonnington’s contribution to his Austin victory. The collaboration between driver and engineer has become an important element of Mercedes’ championship campaign.
Kimi Antonelli closes in on historic F1 world title in Mexico
Andrea Kimi Antonelli now approaches the Mexico City Grand Prix knowing that a ninth-place finish would be enough to secure the Drivers’ Championship. At just 20 years old, the Italian is on the verge of breaking the long-standing age record established by Sebastian Vettel, an achievement that would underline the significance of his rapid development.
The contrast with his rookie season is central to Juan Pablo Montoya’s assessment. While the Mercedes youngster faced pressure and made mistakes during his first year, the team’s decision to maintain its confidence in him has been rewarded by a dramatic improvement in performance and the prospect of a world title.
For Juan Pablo Montoya, however, the significance of Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s success extends beyond the championship itself. His progress is also a reminder of what Formula 1 teams can achieve when they provide young drivers with sufficient time, guidance and stability, rather than making hurried decisions about their future.
With the decisive weekend in Mexico approaching, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has an opportunity to reward that faith by becoming the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history. The Italian’s performances have already earned widespread recognition, but Juan Pablo Montoya believes Mercedes deserves considerable credit for ensuring that one of the sport’s most promising talents was given the opportunity to develop.
More news about Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes
- Toto Wolff explains George Russell’s struggles against Andrea Kimi Antonelli
- George Russell reflects on difficult Austin race as Andrea Kimi Antonelli dominates
- 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix schedule, qualifying and race start times
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