By Alan Baldwin
AUSTIN, Texas, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton had one piece of advice for Kimi Antonelli as the 20-year-old Mercedes driver stands on the verge of becoming Formula One's youngest ever champion: "Slow down!"
The Italian would have to win the US Grand Prix and have everything else fall his way for the title to be secured in Austin on Sunday but, with a lead of 102 points and a maximum 150 still to be won, he can be sure it is just a matter of time.
Hamilton, winner of seven championships
and the most successful driver in the history of the sport, left no doubt he was joking.
"He doesn't need any advice. I think he's shown this year, and also last year, but particularly this year, his talent and his ability, his calmness and his approach," said the Ferrari driver of the man who replaced him at Mercedes last season.
"He's done an amazing job this year, and I'm so proud of him. I'm so proud of the way he's carried himself, how he interacts with the drivers and even with you guys," he told reporters on Thursday. "It's great to see him and the team excel. If it's not my team, I'd always want to see my old team do well."
Antonelli would be the first Italian to take the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953 and, while professing to be taking one race at a time, he knows what awaits.
"It definitely is crazy if you think about it, but that's why I won't think about it," he said of the possibility that he could be champion already on Sunday with five races to spare as the calendar stands.
"I've heard that something catastrophic needs to happen to the others for me to become champion (in Austin). For me, it needs to be a perfect weekend. The others need to have a poor result, which is unlikely to happen," he added.
Antonelli said following in Hamilton's footsteps as a champion as well as a Mercedes driver would be a dream come true, but also made clear he was prepared to wait.
"Obviously, I'm in an incredible position... But, of course, I still have to keep going, and the mindset is always the same: whenever I go on track, I want to be at the top and try to win as much as possible, whether I win the championship this weekend, next weekend or in Brazil. Let's see," he said.
(Reporting by Alan BaldwinEditing by Toby Davis)
