Lewis Hamilton Congratulates ‘New Champion’ Kimi Antonelli in Heartfelt Instagram Message

Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to Kimi Antonelli on Instagram after the Mercedes driver clinched the 2026 Formula 1 title at the Mexico City GP on Sunday, November 1. Antonelli finished third behind race winner Max Verstappen and Hamilton, sealing the championship with four races to spare. At 20 years and 68 days, he is the youngest champion in the sport’s history.

The seven-time world champion wrote: “Let me start with a huge congratulations to the new champion, @kimi.antonelli. To have seen your journey so closely and to be there celebrating with you was a highlight of my year.”

Hamilton went on: “So well deserved and a record that will stand for a long time. It was great to see your team at Mercedes celebrating with you. Enjoy this moment, keep your family close, keep your passion and your energy.”

A Podium Moment Lewis Hamilton Won’t Forget

Hamilton had a front-row seat to the Italian’s title celebrations. He stood on the podium beside Antonelli and Verstappen, and he called it “one of the most special moments that I remember having here.” That’s a significant admission from a man with 105 career wins and seven world championships.

He also talked up the Mercedes celebrations on the podium. “A huge congratulations to Kimi and the Mercedes team. It’s great to see them all up here celebrating their success. Youngest world champion ever, it’s pretty phenomenal.” Hamilton said.

The moment was extra special because Antonelli took over Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes when the Briton left for Ferrari. The 41-year-old believes Antonelli’s rise proves he was right to tell Mercedes to promote the Italian.

After qualifying on Saturday, Hamilton said “records are there to be broken” and spoke of the “little kid” he remembers standing at the back of the Mercedes garage.

Hamilton Says the Lost Win Still Hurts

The second half of Hamilton’s post was far less cheerful. He took the first pole position of his Ferrari career, but teammate Charles Leclerc challenged him side by side on lap one.

Both drivers ran off the track at Turn 4; Leclerc crossed the grass to grab the lead, and Verstappen slipped past Hamilton. Leclerc picked up a five-second penalty, and Verstappen went on to win.

Hamilton credited his crew first. “We’ve grown so much together this year, and that progress has taken a huge effort from everyone on the track and back at the factory,” he wrote. “That’s why losing what could’ve been a win hurts so much.”

He never named Leclerc in the post. He wrote: “Battling is necessary, but when that battle costs the team, we have to be honest about it and learn from it. We can push each other to the limit and still honour the responsibility to everyone who put us on that track.”

The criticism was sharper after the race in the press conference. Hamilton told reporters Ferrari needed “serious talks behind the scenes.” Verstappen rubbed salt in the wounds by saying that he won only because the Ferrari duo handed him the race lead.

Hamilton ended his post with a promise to the team: “I’ll keep giving everything I have. My belief in this team hasn’t changed, and neither has my responsibility to help us get this right.”

Then came a plea to fans: “Stick with us. I’m only just getting started with this team, and we have so much more to come.”

Four races remain this season, but Hamilton is already looking ahead. He said he hopes he and Antonelli finally get to fight wheel-to-wheel in 2027, and that he wants to make it harder for the new champion.

More F1 Reading

• George Russell Ends Silence After Kimi Antonelli’s F1 Title With a Message ‘From the Heart’
• Ryo Hirakawa Scores Point on F1 Debut as Alpine Penalties Promote Him to 10th
• ‘I’m Just Going To Take More Risks’: Kimi Antonelli Reveals the Exact Moment His Mindset Flipped for the Championship
• ‘Game Recognises Game’: Toto Wolff Says F1 Champions Have Noticed Kimi Antonelli’s Raw Talent