Secret Lewis Hamilton message finally uncovered after emotional Mercedes exit

At long last, Kimi Antonelli has revealed the contents of the “secret message” that Lewis Hamilton left for him in the Mercedes hospitality unit — and yes, it’s as good as Antonelli described!

In the build-up to the Italian Grand Prix, Antonelli gave Sky Sports a candid visit of the message: “Lewis was here!” scrawled in the bathroom, replete with a coveted Hamilton autograph!

Kimi Antonelli reveals contents of ‘secret’ Lewis Hamilton message

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

In a pre-race press conference ahead of 2025’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, new Mercedes driver revealed that Lewis Hamilton had left him a “secret message” in the team’s hospitality unit.

“Unfortunately you guys cannot see, but I think it tells a lot on how Lewis is as a person,” Antonelli explained at the time.

“I could see a lot of the human side of Lewis, not only the driver. And reading the message, it fulfilled my heart to receive such a message from such a figure in the sport.

“He has done so much and he’s still right there, giving his best.

“He’s one of the best in history and to receive such a message, of course it’s amazing.

“And of course, also in the message it contains some advice. I use it as a motivation as well, to go out there and do my best, because it doesn’t happen every day.”

Antonelli stated that he intended to keep the message, as it was “actually on the wall.”

“I’ll keep it there because I think the message is so nice that I just want to leave it there, because every day I enter the room I can see the message,” he said.

“It’s also a really good reminder.”

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The Mercedes motorhome was used for the final time in 2024 at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza; after that, the unit was packed up for the year as the sport jetted off to far away locales. It was then that Hamilton left the message.

Now, in honor of the anniversary of Hamilton’s scrawling the note, Antonelli gave Sky Sports Italia an exclusive view of the note: A hastily scrawled “LEWIS WAS HERE!” followed by an autograph!

It is perhaps not what anyone would have expected from the seven-time World Champion, particularly considering Antonelli’s claim that the message contained some practical advice — though keeping one’s sense of humor amidst the chaos of the Formula 1 universe is certainly a phenomenal reminder.

Indeed, Lewis Hamilton has been one of Antonelli’s biggest supporters during the Italian driver’s rookie season, and as recently as the Hungarian Grand Prix, the seven-time champ confessed that he’s always happy to serve as a mentor.

“I always let him know that I’m there,” Hamilton said of Antonelli.

“I think it’s always important to let people know they’re not alone, so I let them know that. I try not to encroach, like get in the way or anything like that, but just let them know that you can always lean on me if you have any needs.

“He’s already got an amazing group of people around him, and he’s 18. I mean, I wasn’t ready at 18. He clearly is, because he’s done a great job this year, particularly the first half of the year, the way he’s jumped in, and I’ve been behind him several times, but he’s clearly got the ability, and it’s just about experience.

“It’s very difficult when you want to succeed, and with all the pressure and everything, it’s sometimes difficult to handle, but I think he’s been doing really, really well, and he’s a really great lad.”

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