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Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has backed Andrea Kimi Antonelli to reach even greater heights, claiming that winning the title will only help him unlock his full potential.
The Dutchman's comments come ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, where Antonelli could seal his maiden world championship. The Italian needs to score just two points in Sunday's race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to become the youngest champion in F1 history and the first Italian to claim the crown since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
According to Verstappen, securing the title will allow Antonelli to approach race weekends with a calmer mindset, which will only benefit his on-track performance. Verstappen also drew a comparison with veterans Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, suggesting they reached their ceiling long ago and are unlikely to get any faster.
"He hasn't reached his full potential yet, and winning the world title will make him even better. Once you achieve your ultimate life goal, you start approaching race weekends with a more relaxed mindset," Verstappen told BILD. "He [Hamilton] probably won't get any faster. Don't get me wrong—I'm not saying Lewis is getting slower, just that he's unlikely to be faster than he is now. With Kimi, it's different. He still has huge room for growth."
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