Mercedes praise Lewis Hamilton for being ‘fantastic ally’ to Kimi Antonelli

Mercedes have been impressed by Lewis Hamilton’s recent support and defence of Kimi Antonelli.

Antonelli, who was selected by Mercedes to replace seven-time world champion Hamilton after his move to Ferrari, has endured a recent bad run of form during his rookie F1 season.

After making a brilliant start to his F1 career, the 18-year-old Italian has found himself coming under pressure due to a downward slide in performances and lack of results since scoring a maiden podium in Canada.

Hamilton came to Antonelli’s defence following a difficult weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix and paid a visit to the youngster on Sunday morning ahead of the race at Spa-Francorchamps to offer advice and support.

Speaking to select media including Crash.net at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Mercedes’ communications chief and team representative Bradley Lord described Hamilton as a “fantastic ally” for young drivers like Antonelli.

“I think that's entirely in character and in line with the Lewis that we've known for many, many years,” Lord responded when asked by Crash.net what Mercedes have made of Hamilton’s actions.

“Obviously Kimi was in and around the team at the end of last season as well Lewis offered his advice his support and encouragement in that time as well, notwithstanding the fact that it was at points a pretty difficult end to the season for him.

“I think he's a fantastic ally for young drivers in the sport and has a great understanding - probably no one has a better understanding of what it means to come into the sport with very high expectations and into a top team in a rookie season as well as he did in 2007.

“So no one understands it better and I think his support is also hugely appreciated by Kimi and by the other young drivers that received it as well.”

How Mercedes are supporting Antonelli

Antonelli ended a barren run by returning to the points with a 10th-place finish in Budapest after Mercedes reverted to an older rear-suspension configuration - a move which has given both drivers renewed confidence in the W16.

Mercedes are continuing to support Antonelli as he navigates through a difficult first year of learning in F1.

“We know that a rookie season has ups and downs and it's full of learning and that's going to be the positive learnings and the positive surprises and also the more difficult moments,” Lord said.

“As one would expect where the car has become more difficult, and both drivers are lacking confidence and the ability to commit to the corner with the car, that has been a struggle for him as well.

“It has cost him confidence and the step backwards in performance that we've seen has meant that we are more vulnerable to those early exits and qualifying than was the case earlier in the season. So that's certainly a difficult moment for the team as a whole and for him in particular.

“I think the key thing is we've already said this first and foremost it's the car that isn't there not any doubt or any lack of anything on Kimi's side, apart from experience that he hasn't yet got and hasn't yet had the opportunity to acquire.

“So our approach is very much one of encouraging him to take the learning from these experiences rather than focussing on the outcomes and then focussing on what is the process of regaining that confidence and regaining that performance.

“That comes from spending time with the team spending time with the engineers, really understanding what we're doing with the car and how he can extract the maximum from it. For us, the priority is giving him a car with which he can express the talent that we know he's got and continue to realise the potential that we know is there as well.

“So there’s full honesty on where we are and what we can improve and then full support on that process of improving and on the technical side to give the drivers the tool that they need to deliver performance and then for them in achieving that delivery.”

Lord added: “I think every human being responds positively to knowing they have support of their team and the belief of their team and that group has faith in them.

“That doesn't stop honest conversations about if things are not hitting objectives and things like that. I'm not saying that's the case with Kimi, I'm just talking in general terms.

"But yeah every human being responds to that sort of positive feeling of support and being part of a team and being part of a collective endeavour, so that's been the case all the way through this first season.

“It was the case last season as well as we were building towards it. I think you've got to not get too lost in the moment and step back and see this all as part of a learning curve and a development trajectory which is what this year is all about.”