Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton lead tributes to talented title winner

Italian Formula One driver Kimi Antonelli of team Mercedes arrives ahead of the Mexican Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. (is associated with: «Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton lead tributes to talented title winner») Bradley Collyer/PA Wire/dpaLando Norris hailed the “insane job” Kimi Antonelli has done as the 20-year-old Italian takes over from the British driver as Formula One world champion.Antonelli secured his place in history as F1’s youngest ever champion by finishing third in Mexico City on Sunday.He has blown his competition out of the water, to seal the title with four scheduled rounds still remaining.Norris, who had to come through a final-race battle to clinch his maiden championship in Abu Dhabi last season, believes Antonelli deserves more accolades for his title-winning display.“He’s done an insane job. I feel like people are not giving him enough credit for what he has achieved this year,” Norris said.“He has beaten his team-mate [George Russell] who has been in the sport for four or five times longer than him. Who is also very good and took the battle to Lewis [Hamilton, at Mercedes].“I think people say ‘he has not had much competition’. That’s because he has slapped his competition!“He’s made it look too easy, like an easy year. If you can make anything look easy nowadays you’ve done an unbelievable job.”Antonelli, then 18, was chosen to replace seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes having joined the team as a 12-year-old.Hamilton, who watched the Italian rise through the ranks, is proud of what Antonelli has achieved.“I think for me, to see a youngster such as Kimi come through from being the little kid standing in the back of the garage, to replacing me at a team that I’ve loved and worked for many, many years and then this year where he’s just been faultless throughout, I think it’s really, really great to see,” Hamilton said.“Records are there to be broken, you know. What he’s been able to do at such a young age. He’s just got such a bright future ahead of him. So, I’m grateful that I can be racing in the time to see it.”Winner in Mexico and four-time world champion Max Verstappen described Antonelli’s title triumph as “incredible” when speaking post-race to Nico Rosberg.“It’s incredible, of course, what a season he’s had, and to do that at such an age, I think it’s just really, really impressive,” Verstappen said.“It’s amazing to see the whole team celebrating with him. His family is here as well, so I’m sure this is a very emotional day for him, and I’m very proud of him.”Formula One president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali said Antonelli had been able to make history “through exceptional talent, courage and determination”.“It fills me with immense pride to see Kimi become the first Italian Formula One world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953,” Domenicali said.“For 73 years, our country has waited for this moment, and today an entire nation will celebrate one of its own reaching the very pinnacle of our sport.“Kimi has captured the imagination of millions of fans around the world and shown young people everywhere that there are no limits to what can be achieved through dedication, belief and hard work. Today, his name joins the legends of our sport.”Damon Hill, 1996 world champion, said Antonelli’s season had been “astonishing”.Hill told BBC Radio 5 Live: “The last few races everyone has been talking about it and now he can let it go. The pressure release is ridiculous.“The cheers are very much deserved, they love this guy, we all do. He is an incredible breath of fresh air in Formula One.”Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff joined in his team’s wild celebrations and he exclaimed: “Why do you put this kid in the car? Who is Kimi Antonelli? This is Kimi.”When asked about the manner of Antonelli’s title triumph, Wolff added: “Incredible. Also today, just completely serene. After you know – that’s what makes him so different.”Italian formula One driver Kimi Antonelli of team Mercedes drives during the Mexican Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. (is associated with: «Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton lead tributes to talented title winner») Bradley Collyer/PA Wire/dpa