Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen: Inside Their Endurance Racing Dream, Verstappen's Key Advice, and the 2026 Title Fight

His interest is no coincidence. Antonelli grew up around his father Marco's GT racing team, AKM Motorsport, and that shared passion is what he and Verstappen bond over. Verstappen, for his part, is already committed to the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2026 — a move that has drawn praise from rivals including Antonelli and Lando Norris.

Verstappen's Advice: Focus on F1 First

When Antonelli raised the idea of teaming up in GT racing, Verstappen gave him a clear message: it is not the right time, and he should prioritise his Formula 1 career before branching out into other disciplines.

But that is not the only advice Verstappen has offered. The Dutchman has given Antonelli several pieces of guidance during the 2026 season:

• Be himself — Verstappen publicly said Antonelli simply needs "to do it his way" and not get overwhelmed by external pressure, praising the young Italian's maturity and consistency as "very impressive."
• Minimise mistakes — Verstappen advised Antonelli during his championship battle to minimise errors across a long season. This was endorsed by former Williams manager Peter Windsor as "exactly what the young Mercedes driver needs to hear."
• A joke at Monaco — Before the Monaco GP start, Verstappen jokingly told Antonelli: "When the lights go out… you wait one second," which Antonelli later described as "obviously a joke."

Antonelli's 2026 F1 Championship Lead

Antonelli is having a breakthrough rookie season at Mercedes. As of late July 2026:

• He leads the Drivers' Championship with 219 points, holding a 50-point margin over Lewis Hamilton (169 points) and a larger gap to Mercedes teammate George Russell (160 points).
• He has five wins so far, including a streak of four consecutive victories (Imola, Monaco, Canada).
• He became the youngest driver in history to lead the F1 world championship.
• His lead has fluctuated — he built a 66-point advantage after Monaco, then saw it shrink during a three-race rough patch before extending it again with a win at the Belgian GP.

The Role of Father Marco Antonelli

Marco Antonelli is a former racing driver who competed in the Italian Superturismo Championship, European Touring Car Championship, Blancpain GT Series, and International GT Open, and now runs the AKM Motorsport GT team.

Key dynamics in their relationship:

• Marco was initially reluctant to let Kimi pursue motorsport, but changed his mind after seeing how passionate his son was.
• Marco remains deeply involved as a watchful, grounding presence. He actively pushes back against media hype — deliberately using Verstappen rather than George Russell as Kimi's internal benchmark.
• Antonelli has said his father "plays a massive role" in his development and that having family support from someone who "knows me better than anyone" is crucial.
• In a lighthearted remark, Antonelli said he races partly to "save his neck" from a parental "throttling" from Marco after the Belgian GP.

This family background explains Antonelli's deep-rooted GT racing interest — he grew up around his father's team, and that shared passion is what he and Verstappen connect over.

Verstappen's GT Racing Credentials

Verstappen is no novice in endurance or GT racing. Before his scheduled 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours debut, he had already won on his GT3 debut in a previous endurance event at the Nordschleife in September 2025.

His willingness to take on the famously demanding 24-hour race has drawn admiration from competitors. Antonelli and Lando Norris have both expressed awe at Verstappen's ventures outside F1. Verstappen's established GT3 success and his commitment to the Nürburgring 24 Hours is part of what inspired Antonelli's pitch for a future partnership.

What Comes Next

For now, Antonelli is focused on his championship fight with Mercedes. But the dream of a Verstappen-Antonelli endurance pairing is clearly alive. The Italian has already taken the first steps by asking for a Nordschleife test.

Whether the duo eventually shares a GT3 car at the Nürburgring depends on timing — and on Antonelli heeding Verstappen's advice to finish his F1 business first.