© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Kimi Antonelli’s current and Lewis Hamilton’s former race engineer Peter Bonnington – Bono says being on the podium with both drivers was “a hell of a moment” and “really touching”.
Legendary race engineer Peter Bonnington – Bono has worked with some of the greatest Formula 1 drivers of all time: Michael Schumacher, and more famously – Lewis Hamilton.
Now, Mercedes’ Head of Race Engineering is guiding young Kimi Antonelli through his first years in Formula 1.
At the Chinese Grand Prix, Bono had an amazing and emotional opportunity to share the podium with Antonelli, after his first ever Formula 1 win, but also with Hamilton, who finished the race in P3.
After the podium ceremony, Bonnington said this meant a lot to him.
“It’s pretty good, I can’t complain,” he told Sky Sports F1.
“Having Lewis there with Kimi, it was a hell of a moment. It’s one that I’ll cherish. Felt like it was getting the band back together, but not the band, I don’t know what the analogy is there.
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“But it was really, really nice, really touching, Lewis is a great sportsman, as ever.”
Asked to compare what it’s like to work with Antonelli and Hamilton, Bono said:
“It’s chalk and cheese with Lewis. I knew what he was thinking, I knew that he didn’t need to be told, whereas when I started with Kimi, it was a case of, I don’t know what he doesn’t know.
“So I’m having to re-remember loads of stuff that I took for granted, and so that was a good sort of process for myself.
“Kimi just brings a completely different vibe. He’s obviously still so young, but full of energy, really likes to bring the garage together.
“He’s always there with the pranks, but equally, he knows when to knuckle down and work hard.
“With Kimi, he’s putting a lot of faith in me and a lot of trust in me, because I’ve got the experience, he’s got the youth.
“We work differently, and I am sort of teaching him, taking him step-by-step through the process of how we become a champion.
“And he’s just ticked off the first step, so we need to just keep chipping away.”
The Briton added he can see similarities between Antonelli and his former drivers, two seven-time F1 champions – Hamilton and Schumacher.
“I read a book about the 10,000-hour rule many, many years ago. And I started to really strongly believe it, thinking, oh, if we all had enough practice, we’d be good enough.
“And then I met the likes of Michael, I met the likes of Lewis, and then you realise, actually no, there is the extra step.
“That extra 10th or two, and that’s what Kimi’s got, he’s got that extra 10th or two,” Bonnington concluded.
