F1 LIVE | Antonelli likened to F1 legends as Hamilton’s ‘masterclass’ wins huge praise

Coulthard admitted he was highly impressed by Hamilton’s performance in China, where the seven-time world champion secured his first podium finish for Ferrari. Speaking on the Up to Speed podcast, the former British driver praised the quality of Hamilton’s drive and highlighted how comfortably he appears to be settling into Formula 1’s new regulations.

The Brit pointed out that Hamilton looked far more at ease behind the wheel, delivering what he described as a masterclass in tyre management during a one-stop race. Despite Leclerc showing strong pace in the latter stages of the race in Melbourne, the Ferrari driver never managed to mount a real challenge. From Coulthard’s perspective, Hamilton remained firmly in control of the situation.

He also noted that the race strategy played a key role, suggesting the long one-stop stint limited Russell’s ability to close in on Antonelli and put him under real pressure. Managing such a long run on a single set of tyres required careful control, something Coulthard believes sets the stage perfectly for Suzuka — one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar, where the drivers who truly stand out tend to emerge.

Speaking with Sky Sports after the race in Shanghai, which delivered Antonelli’s first Formula 1 victory, Bonnington — the long-time race engineer of the seven-time world champion — said the young Italian possesses the same special qualities he has previously seen in drivers such as Hamilton and Michael Schumacher.

Bonnington explained that early in his career he strongly believed in the idea that enough practice could make anyone great, but his perspective changed after working with drivers of the calibre of Schumacher and Hamilton. According to him, the very best possess an extra level of talent that cannot simply be trained, something he now also recognises in Antonelli.

He pointed out that this ability is clearly visible in the data, particularly in the balance traces engineers study closely. From Bonnington’s perspective, Antonelli is capable of driving the car in an incredibly neutral state while still keeping everything under control, managing tyre temperatures and maintaining stability even when the car appears ready to rotate sharply.