Max Verstappen reveals what has impressed him most about Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli so far in 2026 F1 season

Max Verstappen has praised Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, describing his performances as 'rock solid' during the first half of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The 19-year-old Antonelli, in just his second F1 season, has led the Drivers' Championship since the end of March and holds a 50-point lead over Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton heading into the summer break. Lando Norris also joined Verstappen in commending Antonelli's title-leading campaign, with the next race being the Dutch GP from August 21-23.