Sebastian Vettel has shared an emotional message for Kimi Antonelli after the Mercedes driver became the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history. Finishing P3 at the Mexico City GP, the 20-year-old broke Vettel’s record of being the youngest champion in the sport. And in a heartfelt video letter to the Italian, Vettel has symbolically passed the torch.
Speaking to Antonelli, the former four-time world champion said, “Kimi, congratulations. World champion. Campeone del Mondo. Only very few of us managed to achieve that, and nobody has done it as young as you.
“You are curious, you listen, you learn fast, you’re fearless. Your driving has been very clean and controlled, yet on the limit when it needed to be. You understood that you can only control what you can control.”
The tribute shared by Vettel was more than just an acknowledgment of the crowning of a new world champion. It highlighted the former Ferrari driver’s admiration for the kind of calm and maturity put on display by Antonelli, that very few people would have expected from a 20-year-old.
The Mercedes driver has now joined an exclusive group in F1, and the sport decided to mark a historic championship win by connecting two generations of champions.
With the previous record holder personally welcoming Antonelli to the F1 championship winners’ club, Vettel drew inspiration from his own triumph to share more advice for the Italian driver.
Sebastian Vettel Recalls the Emotions of Winning His First Championship
Speaking further along in the video letter, Vettel turned to his own experience of becoming an F1 world champion. He recalled the overwhelming emotions that came with his first championship win and offered Antonelli a personal insight into what it feels like.
Following years of preparation, competition, and sacrifice, when Vettel won his first title, it felt like everything happened the moment he crossed the finish line. He got out of the car, and everything around him was moving at a rapid pace. It was a real “adrenaline rush,” and he didn’t sleep for days.
Asking the 20-year-old to be ready for a lack of sleep, the German explained that his understanding of the achievement changed once the initial excitement phased out. Holding the trophy in his arms and reading the names of those who have won it before him gave the moment a deeper significance.
Vettel emphasized that winning a championship is never defined by a single race. Rather, it is the culmination of the challenges and experiences faced throughout a season.
These experiences are what shape a driver and can influence them in more ways than one. As such, Vettel closed his message by saying: “Great success may change the way people look at you, but it shouldn’t change the way you look at people.”
Kimi Antonelli Reflects on His Championship Win
With a message from Vettel waiting for him once he had the time, Antonelli had to first face the cameras after taking the crown away from Lando Norris. Thanking his family and his team for their support, the 20-year-old branded the moment as one he would never forget in his life.
Given the way he drove the entire weekend and particularly during the race, no one would suspect it, but Antonelli revealed that he was more tense than ever heading into the Mexico race weekend. But now that it’s all over and he has secured the championship, the Italian driver feels he can relax and enjoy the rest of the season a lot more.
For the Mercedes driver, sharing the podium with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton added another layer of emotion to the memory. Sharing his championship-winning podium with two former world champions meant a lot to him, as the No. 12 driver looks forward to more on-track battles with them.
More F1 Reading
- Max Verstappen Takes Dig at Ferrari’s Infighting After Winning From Fifth in Mexico
- Lewis Hamilton Blames Charles Leclerc’s ‘Do or Die’ Mentality for Costing Ferrari Mexican GP Win
- ‘We Did It’: Kimi Antonelli Cries and Laughs As He Becomes Youngest F1 Champion in Mexico
- How Did Arvid Lindblad Crash at the Mexican GP?
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Max Verstappen Takes Dig at Ferrari’s Infighting After Winning From Fifth in Mexico
Lewis Hamilton Blames Charles Leclerc’s ‘Do or Die’ Mentality for Costing Ferrari Mexican GP Win
‘We Did It’: Kimi Antonelli Cries and Laughs As He Becomes Youngest F1 Champion in Mexico
How Did Arvid Lindblad Crash at the Mexican GP?
