It is "too early to compare" Kimi Antonelli with Max Verstappen, according to the Mercedes driver's father, Marco, despite the 19-year-old's extraordinary start to the F1 season.
Antonelli secured his fifth consecutive grand prix victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, becoming the first Italian winner at the famous street circuit since Jarno Trulli in 2004.
Leading the drivers' championship, the teenager has made a remarkable impression in his sophomore season with Mercedes, prompting widespread comparisons to Verstappen, who also came into F1 as a teenager.
Marco Antonelli, however, is keen to pump the brakes on such talk. Speaking to Formule 1.nl, he was quick to acknowledge the personal connection between the two drivers while drawing a clear distinction between where they each stand.
"Max is a lovely boy with a friendly character. He is also a friend of ours. We both run a Mercedes GT3 team. But it is too early to compare Kimi with Max," he said.
Verstappen arrives at each race weekend as a four-time F1 drivers' champion, a title haul accumulated over years of dominance, having first had to overcome the most decorated driver in F1 history.
For all that Antonelli is achieving right now, his father believes the Red Bull driver remains in a class of his own.
"Of course, there is an obvious similarity: they are both fast. But Max is already a four-time world champion, while Kimi still has a long way to go to achieve what Max has accomplished," he added.
"I hope he gets close to that one day, but at this stage of his career, Max is above all an example for him."
The pair share a close bond away from the circuit, which Antonelli Sr. believes is a positive influence on his son's development. Yet even that friendship does not blur the competitive reality.
"It is wonderful to see that they have a good relationship," he said. "Max and Kimi speak to each other virtually every weekend. At the same time, it is clear that Max is currently still on a different level as a driver."
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