Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Formula 1 driver for Mercedes, admitted that Max Verstappen taught him a valuable lesson during a restart at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia. Despite losing the lead to the Dutchman, Antonelli acknowledged that the experience was a useful learning opportunity. He had started the race strongly, taking control after launching with intermediate tires, but the situation changed after a safety car period, when drivers switched to slick tires on a track that remained particularly challenging. Verstappen's experience proved crucial, especially with cold tires and uncertain grip. The first corners after the restart were particularly tricky, and Verstappen was able to better manage his tires and position his Red Bull car to attack Antonelli almost immediately. Antonelli praised Verstappen's ability to read the track and his superior understanding of grip levels. "He simply knew much better how to position the car and had a better perception of grip in the first two corners. He overtook me," Antonelli said. Although the Mercedes driver was clearly frustrated by being overtaken, he saw the incident as a chance to improve. "It was really well done. Even though it was obviously not pleasant to be overtaken and I was very annoyed, it was also a good opportunity to learn and use this experience in the future," Antonelli said. As the championship leader, Antonelli continues to gain experience, and the race allowed him to observe how Verstappen, a four-time world champion, handles difficult grip conditions. Verstappen maintained his lead until the finish line, securing his first victory of the season, while Antonelli claimed a strong second place. The result was particularly valuable after the late retirement of George Russell, who suffered a power unit issue while appearing to be on course for third. This gave Antonelli 18 additional points over his teammate, increasing his lead in the championship to 84 points. This advantage brings him closer to his first world title. Beyond the points, Antonelli appreciated sharing the podium with two legendary drivers: Verstappen on the first step and Lewis Hamilton on the third. "It's always great to be able to share the track, and in this case the podium, with Max and Lewis," Antonelli said. He recognized the significance of racing against two multiple world champions. "Lewis has practically written the history of this sport and Max is doing the same thing. From my side, I try to learn as much as possible every time I drive near them," he added. Antonelli also praised Hamilton's resilience, noting how the Brit never gives up even when his race seems compromised. Hamilton demonstrated this at Sepang by climbing back to third place after a difficult start. "With Lewis, we've seen so many times over the years that, even when things go wrong, he keeps his head down and tries to do his best to get the best possible result," Antonelli said. Leaving Sepang with a second place, a reinforced championship lead, and a new lesson, Antonelli aims to use this experience to avoid similar situations in the future.