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Peter Bonnington reveals touching Lewis Hamilton moment after Kimi Antonelli’s first F1 win

Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes race engineer Peter 'Bono' Bonnington said the Chinese Grand Prix podium celebrations were something he will "cherish".

Describing it as "getting the band back together", Bonnington joined the podium celebrations as he accepted the constructors' trophy after Antonelli's maiden Formula 1 win. Completing the podium were Antonelli's Mercedes team-mate George Russell and former Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.

"It's pretty good. I can't complain," Bonnington 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.

"But it was really, really nice, really touching, Lewis is a great sportsman, as ever."

Comparing what it is like to work with Antonelli and Hamilton, Bonnington added: "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."

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes (Photo by: Mark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Bonnington has worked with both Hamilton and fellow seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, and he can see similarities between Antonelli and the two champions.

"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."

Photos from Chinese GP - Sunday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Alexander Albon, Williams, Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Alexandra Leclerc and Carmen Montero Mundt walk in the paddock.

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Muni He walks in the paddock.

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Gene Haas, Founder and Chairman of Haas F1

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Alexander Albon, Williams

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Fans of Lewis Hamilton

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Alexander Albon, Williams

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Start action

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Franco Colapinto, Alpine crash

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Franco Colapinto, Alpine crash

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Toto Wolff, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Chinese GP - Sunday, in photos

Formula 1
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