F1: Antonelli is something else, says Hill

Former Method One World champion Damon Hill praised Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli as a particular expertise and backed him for the F1 drivers’ title this 12 months.

“I feel the favorite is Kimi as a result of I feel that he’s obtained the tools. Mercedes has been essentially the most constant, and he’s obtained a bonus (40 factors), and I feel that he’s nonetheless on a studying curve. So George (Russell) has obtained a mountain to climb, I feel, to rein him in. I’m not saying he can’t do it, however I feel from what I’ve seen this man is one thing else. So we’ll see,” stated Hill forward of this weekend’s British Grand Prix.

Antonelli’s teammate Russell heads into his residence race after successful the earlier spherical in Austria final weekend, solely his second of the 12 months. Hill felt it ought to give the native hero a much-needed enhance at a time when the group would have heightened expectations.

“George having obtained a win and closed the hole to Kimi, that’s going to be a constructive for him and a large reduction as a result of it was, as he stated at one level, he didn’t know what to say. He was puzzled given the quantity of unhealthy luck he had, however he lastly obtained a very good victory; a real win, he obtained pole place and so forth. I feel that’s going to revive a few of his confidence,” the 1996 F1 champion added.

When requested if Russell was a bit unsettled by Antonelli hogging all the eye when he gained 5 races on the bounce, Hill remarked that it was one thing a driver has to take care of, even when he had been at a spot for longer.

“When a driver is in a crew, they’ll’t contemplate that they’re the first concern of that crew. The issue with being a racing driver in our sport is that you simply’re not likely a part of the crew. For the time you’re there, you’re a part of the crew, however you continue to should show your self towards the opposite man. So that you’re in a relentless battle to determine your place,” remarked Hill.

(Watch the British GP reside on FanCode)