Former Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton believes rookie Kimi Antonelli is doing a "fantastic job" in his debut season in Formula One despite his recent struggles on the track.
Hamilton was replaced at the Silver Arrows by Antonelli ahead of the 2025 campaign after the Italian impressed in his one and only term in Formula Two.
The 18-year-old started the F1 season strongly by finishing in the top 10 in five of his first six races, including a fourth-placed finish at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Antonelli also became the third-youngest driver to finish on the podium in the competition, after Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll, taking third in Canada back in June.
However, that third-place finish was sandwiched in between three retirements and a 16th and 18th place finish in Monaco and Belgium, respectively.
Ahead of last weekend's race at Spa, Antonelli had retired in three of his last four races in 2025, with all four of Mercedes' retirements this year having been by the Italian.
Mercedes have now had as many retirements in the first 12 races of this season as they had managed throughout the entirety of 2024, which has seen them fall off the pace.
Indeed, they have scored 220 points in the first 13 races of 2025. With an average of 16.9 per grand prix, it is the German team's worst record in the Hybrid Era in a single season, and their worst in a year since 7.10 in 2012 with Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.
And while Antonelli's displays have come under scrutiny, Hamilton leapt to the defence of the teenager.
"I can't imagine what it's like at 18 to do what he's doing. I think he's been doing fantastically," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1 after the Belgian Grand Prix.
"To be thrown in at the deep end at 18. He didn't even have his driving licence when he first started racing in F1. It's a lot on someone's shoulders. I think he's doing a great job."
It's not the first time pressure has impacted Antonelli's performances on track, which included crashing on his F1 practice debut at the Italian Grand Prix last year.
He also conceded that he had burnt himself out ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix with commitments ahead of his home race this year.
Antonelli endured a miserable weekend in Belgium last time out, which included another non-score after failing to advance beyond the first stage of qualifying for the sprint and grand prix.
He appeared emotional in the media pen after last Sunday's race, though Hamilton believes he has the right people around him to help navigate this difficult stretch.
Antonelli is, of course, working with Peter Bonnington, who was Hamilton's race engineer during his successful 12-year stint with Mercedes.
Hamilton added: "He (Antonelli) has got a great group of people around him.
"You just have to take it in your stride, which I think he is, and he's got Bono beside him, so he couldn't have anyone better."
