Lewis Hamilton offered warm congratulations to Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes following his runner-up finish at the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Ferrari driver paid tribute to his former employers, describing them as "my old family" after watching the young Italian claim another dominant victory.
"I have to start by congratulating Kimi and to the Mercedes team, my old family, they've done it again, they've created an amazing car," Hamilton said.
The seven-time world champion was full of admiration for Antonelli's remarkable consistency this season.
Lewis Hamilton finished second at the Monaco Grand Prix
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"Kimi's doing an incredible job, just delivering weekend in, weekend out. It's great to see and I'm really happy for them," he added.
Hamilton acknowledged that Ferrari have made strides in recent months but conceded the Scuderia remain some distance behind Mercedes' current performance level.
"On our side, I think we've been progressing over the past months, and can't quite keep up with them just yet, and it's probably going to take a lot of work for us to get to their level," he explained.
Despite the gap to the leaders, the British driver expressed satisfaction with his result around the principality's unforgiving streets.
"But to get another second place is such a great feeling, especially in Monaco under the trickiest conditions it was the hardest conditions out there! I'll definitely take it," Hamilton said.
Kimi Antonelli won the Monaco Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar completed the podium spots
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Antonelli extended his winning streak to five consecutive races with a commanding performance around Formula One's most iconic circuit.
The 19-year-old Mercedes driver had built a lead exceeding 20 seconds before late Safety Car interventions disrupted proceedings.
A red flag was required to address track damage at the final corner following crashes for Lance Stroll and Charles Leclerc.
When racing resumed for the final eight laps with a standing restart, Antonelli converted from pole position without difficulty to secure his maiden Monaco triumph.
The result proved significant for the championship standings, with Hamilton climbing ahead of George Russell into second place, now trailing Antonelli by 66 points after six rounds.
Russell's troubled weekend was compounded by a drive-through penalty that left him outside the points entirely, allowing his team-mate to establish a commanding championship advantage.
Kimi Antonelli is now 66 points clear at the top of the standings
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Antonelli reflected positively on his victory, describing both the weekend and the race as "incredible" while praising the machinery beneath him.
"The car was feeling incredible and giving me the confidence to push. It was a very enjoyable day," the teenager said.
Regarding the late restart, Antonelli admitted he was initially reluctant to resume racing but quickly refocused his attention.
"Once I got away, I knew I would make it into the first corner and from that moment I enjoyed the last few laps," he explained.