F1 rookie lauds Verstappen as ‘extraordinary’, reveals shared passion

Speaking via Gazzetta Dello Sport, the Mercedes rookie, who recently reacted to the praise meted out by Verstappen, acknowledged it before dubbing the four-time world champion as extraordinary.

"It's a great honour. We've built a wonderful relationship with him this year, and he's been a mentor to all of us rookies. I consider him an extraordinary driver, and receiving these compliments from him is special,” Antonelli began.

The young Italian continued by highlighting their shared passion away from Formula 1.

“The best thing is that we can talk about so many things we enjoy besides Formula 1, like GT racing, which is a passion for both of us,” he concluded.

Verstappen has often earned plaudits from several rookies, and only recently did Stake F1 driver Gabriel Bortoleto, alongside Antonelli, label the Dutch driver the ‘dad of the rookies.’

Earlier, Antonelli followed a similar path to Verstappen when he partook in an off-season race under a pseudonym.

It is worth recalling that the Dutch driver earlier took part in a test outing at the Nürburgring under the pseudonym FranZ Hermann. Antonelli, on his outing, opted for the name Henry Shovlin.

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