Lewis Hamilton acknowledged a rising force in Formula One on Sunday while insisting his own pursuit of the championship is far from over, after finishing second at the Monaco Grand Prix behind 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli.
Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, delivered a composed and commanding performance on the streets of Monte Carlo to claim his first Monaco Grand Prix win and extend his championship lead to 66 points after six rounds.
The victory marked his fifth straight win of the season and further underlined his rapid rise after replacing Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025.
Hamilton, now racing for Ferrari, produced his strongest result of the season with a second consecutive runner-up finish, showing clearer signs of adaptation after a difficult debut year with the Italian team.
He briefly held hope for victory following a late red flag but could not find a way past the young Italian, ultimately settling for second behind Antonelli once again after Canada.
