Kimi Antonelli shares insights learned from Formula 1 champions Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

The Italian racer joined race victor Verstappen and third-place finisher Hamilton on the podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, finishing second.

During the post-race press conference at the Sepang International Circuit, Antonelli reflected on racing against the four-time and seven-time champions.

"It’s always wonderful to, first and foremost, be able to share the track with Max and Lewis, as they are certainly reshaping... Well, Lewis has essentially made history in this sport and Max is following suit," the Mercedes driver noted.

"So from my perspective, I aim to absorb as much knowledge as possible whenever I race closely beside them."

The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia was tumultuous. The race commenced after a delay of an hour and 40 minutes due to severe rain, and the disorder persisted throughout the race.

Even though Antonelli had a fruitful race, moving from a third-place start to a second-place finish, he mentioned that he still acquired knowledge on how to navigate those conditions from Verstappen and Hamilton, especially during the multiple safety car restarts.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

"Today was a fantastic demonstration of how Max managed the restart on slick tires on a slippery track," Antonelli continued. "He simply understood much better how to position the car and had a superior feel for the grip in those initial two corners, allowing him to overtake me.

"So that was quite impressive. Even though it was frustrating to be passed, and I was quite annoyed about it, it was still a valuable learning experience that I can apply in the future.

"And with Lewis, I think we’ve witnessed many times over the years that even when circumstances are challenging, he consistently keeps focused and strives to achieve the best result possible."