Towards his Imola
The upcoming weekend is certainly not just any other race for Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The 18-year-old Italian talent at Mercedes – who is finally bringing the Italian tricolour back to prominence in Formula 1 – will experience his first home race in the Circus at Imola, competing on the track that means more to him than any other, given his Bolognese roots. A dream come true, and one arriving just in time, as the future of the Santerno circuit on the F1 calendar remains uncertain.
Italy’s top media had the chance to speak with him on the eve of the Emilia-Romagna GP weekend. It was the ideal moment for an in-depth look at his present and future, including adapting to such an extreme and unique environment as Formula 1, the need for rapid learning, and the responsibility that comes with being part of one of the sport’s top teams.
“I can’t wait to get on track this Friday,” Antonelli told us about the highly anticipated Imola round. “It’s my home GP and a track I really like and care deeply about. I’ll also be wearing a special helmet,” revealed Mercedes’ #12, “because unfortunately it seems this might be the last year for this track on the calendar. Hopefully not, but in any case it will be a special weekend: I’ll be racing in front of all the fans, my whole family, and my friends. It’ll be wonderful and emotional. It won’t be easy mentally and emotionally, but I’m ready to give my best.”
The ‘lesson’ from Oscar Piastri
Many fans and insiders have been impressed by how quickly the Italian rookie has adapted to the category, having made virtually no mistakes so far. We asked him which aspects of the Circus struck him the most: “What impressed me most was the intensity of the race weekend,” Antonelli replied. “The level of intensity and concentration you have to maintain throughout the weekend, starting already on Thursday. Kicking things off with the right mindset can really make the difference for the rest of the weekend.”
One lesson Kimi Antonelli learned firsthand was about using his elbows at the start, recalling his battle off the line with Oscar Piastri in the recent Sprint race: “In Miami I didn’t learn that the best way,” Kimi admitted when we asked, “but it’s all part of the experience I need to gain. It’s all learning. That episode in Miami gave me a sense of what can be done on the first lap — maybe next time I’ll add a bit more cunning. As I said at the start of the year, there’ll be many situations where I’ll still need to gain experience. But I have to say, I’m feeling good right now.”
The Sinner example and relationship with Toto Wolff
Antonelli was also asked about the comparison between his rising popularity — now that he’s already one of the most recognisable drivers in F1 — and the ‘Jannik Sinner phenomenon’ in tennis, another young athlete who’s stopping Italy in its tracks during his matches: “It’s definitely great to have more and more people supporting you, but at the same time you need to be careful not to get carried away by popularity. The important thing is always to keep your feet on the ground and focus on what you need to do. One thing that really impresses me about Sinner is his mental strength. Even when he doesn’t start a match well, he always seems able to turn it around. That’s really admirable.”
Finally, the Bolognese talent revealed the three races he dreams most of winning — “Imola, Monaco, and Brazil, to honour my idol Ayrton Senna” — and spoke about his special relationship with Toto Wolff, who brought him into Mercedes when Kimi was not even 12 years old: “Of course, I supported Ferrari before entering the Mercedes world,” Antonelli said, “but I must say that at the end of 2017, when we got the call from Toto, we didn’t hesitate. Opportunities like that only come once. When such a chance comes, it’s very hard to say no. Toto has always helped me over the years and has shown so much trust. I’m really grateful for all the opportunities, support, and confidence he’s given me — including putting me in the car this year. Right now I’m really happy with where I am, but you never know what the future holds.”
The present, though, is called Imola — perhaps dreaming of a first career podium. There would be no better place to achieve it.
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