Max Verstappen believes Kimi Antonelli will only be ‘better’ next season, unlike Lewis Hamilton.

Antonelli can win the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend simply by finishing the race in the top nine. Verstappen was 24, four years older than the Mercedes driver, when he bagged his first championship in 2021.

Speaking to German newspaper Sport Bild, via sport.de, Verstappen predicted that Antonelli will have ‘a more relaxed attitude’ in 2027.

Max Verstappen: Kimi Antonelli will keep getting faster but Lewis Hamilton won’t

While Antonelli has made very few major errors this season, he has arguably been driving on the edge, hence his long list of track limits violations. His radio communications with engineer Peter Bonnington sometimes sound frantic.

But Verstappen says Antonelli won’t drive with the same burden of pressure once he has ‘fulfilled his life’s ambition’.

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In his first year as the defending champion (2022), Verstappen romped to the title with a record 15 wins from 22 races, though that also reflected Red Bull’s superiority at the start of the ground-effect era.

“He hasn’t yet reached 100% of his potential, and winning the world championship will only make him better,” he said.

“Once you’ve been world champion, you become calmer. You’ve fulfilled your life’s ambition and approach race weekends with a more relaxed attitude.”

Antonelli’s Mercedes predecessor, Hamilton, is still hoping to finish as the runner-up in the championship. He’s only a point behind George Russell.

Hamilton has been one of F1’s most improved drivers this year following the regulation changes, having failed to score a single podium in 2025, but Verstappen can’t see his level improving any further.

The seven-time world champion will turn 42 before the start of next season.

“Age shouldn’t matter these days, but he probably won’t get any faster,” said Verstappen. “Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying Lewis will get slower, just that he won’t get any faster. It’s different with Kimi. There’s still more to come from him.”

Last November, Verstappen said in an interview that age was not on Hamilton’s side compared to 29-year-old teammate Charles Leclerc. He hasn’t changed his mind despite his former title rivals’ upturn in 2026.

Hamilton still hopes to become just the fourth driver ever, and the first since 1966, to win a world title in his 40s.

He already became the seventh-oldest race winner in F1 history when he took victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in June. It had been 22 years since a quadragenarian (Nigel Mansell) had stood on the top step of the podium.