Mercedes captures untelevised wholesome moment between Max Verstappen and Antonelli
Kimi Antonelli has been firing on all cylinders with his Mercedes place for F1 2026 confirmed, and his impressive run continued at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Later elevated two places to form a double Mercedes podium result – with both McLarens disqualified – Mercedes captured the moment that Max Verstappen and Antonelli met after exiting their cars, Verstappen reacting positively when Antonelli told him he finished fourth on the road in a sensational recovery from his Q1 exit.
Mercedes reveals feel-good Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli exchange
Originally, it was George Russell in the sister Mercedes who was set to complete the podium, with Antonelli a very impressive fifth from 17th on the grid.
That result factored in a five-second time penalty for a false start, Antonelli having rolled ever so slightly in his Mercedes before the lights went out. Applied after the chequered flag, it meant that Antonelli initially dropped behind Oscar Piastri, having successfully fended off the McLaren and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Antonelli had made his sole pit stop early in the race under the Virtual Safety Car.
However, both Lando Norris and Piastri were disqualified post-race, after the customary FIA checks found excessive plank wear on both McLarens. That boosted Russell to second, and Antonelli into the top three, despite having dropped out in the opening stage of qualifying 24 hours prior.
Someone who knows a little something about charging through the pack is Verstappen. His Brazil 2024 and 2025 performances will live very long in the memory, so when Antonelli and Verstappen crossed paths after the Las Vegas GP, Verstappen knew exactly the kind of achievement which the teenager had pulled off.
A Mercedes team social media video showed Verstappen asking Antonelli where he had finished. When Antonelli signals fourth, Verstappen demonstrates how impressed he is, and gives the thumbs up, in a feel-good moment between the duo.
“Where did you finish… WHAAA?” 😲 pic.twitter.com/a2uGGGWmMF
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 23, 2025
More Las Vegas GP reaction via PlanetF1.com
👉 Lando Norris has Max Verstappen on the brain
👉 Carlos Sainz holds post-race inspection in untelevised Las Vegas GP footage
“I was really happy with that,” said Antonelli of how he was able to cut through the field, when speaking with the Formula 1 website.
“The strategy was very risky. I was a bit concerned halfway through the race because the graining started to appear, and I wasn’t so sure I would have been able to make it to the end.
“But then I got the team radio that we were moving to Plan B, so the plan was to finish with that set, and I was just trying to manage the best way as possible. Eventually the graining started to clean up, and the time just kept coming and coming and we were able to keep Oscar and Charles behind.”
On his strong form of late, Antonelli added: “The feeling is getting better and better in the car.
“I’ve been enjoying quite a lot lately driving the car, and it’s been, after Brazil, good momentum.
“Of course, yesterday was a big shame. I was very disappointed, but today was redemption. Just need to now focus on the next two and really want to finish on a high.”
Antonelli could yet challenge Lewis Hamilton – the seven-time world champion who Antonelli succeeded at Mercedes – for sixth in the Drivers’ Championship. Antonelli has reduced the gap to 15 points with the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds remaining.
Read next: How can Lando Norris seal the F1 2025 title at the Qatar Grand Prix?