Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a regular guy: from signing with Mercedes to stepping into F1, the young driver from Bologna shares his biggest fear. After a mixed weekend – poor qualifying, better race pace before retiring – Toto Wolff’s protégé leaves Imola with some regrets. His determination to improve is clear, with two challenging rounds ahead in Monaco and Barcelona.
2025 is the year of the baby prodigies: six drivers are in their first full F1 season (one of them, Jack Doohan, has already lost his Alpine seat). There’s Oliver Bearman, Ferrari’s rising star who is becoming a steady force at Haas; Isack Hadjar, who went from disaster in Australia to star status; and Gabriel Bortoleto, who’s impressed despite driving a backmarker Sauber.
Then there’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the first of the rookies to clinch a pole position – in the Sprint Qualifying session in Miami. A result that reflects the progress of the young Italian, seen by many insiders as a “baby Verstappen.” Personally selected and protected by Toto Wolff, the Bologna native had a rollercoaster debut at his home Grand Prix: disappointments, highlights, friends, classmates, and a few lessons learned.
The importance of friendship: Antonelli recounts his Imola
Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s always approachable and friendly attitude has raised some eyebrows. Some say he got distracted, wasting energy and not focusing enough on the job. While there might be some truth to the criticism, it’s important not to overlook an objective fact: he’s only 18 years old, a kid in a world of giants, and he shouldn’t be forced to change who he is.
That becomes clear from what he told Alberto Sabbaniti for Autosprint about his Imola weekend: “I have a great group of friends, five or six of us. They’ve always been the same: we met three years ago and immediately hit it off. Honestly, I was a bit worried that, after my F1 contract was announced, they would treat me differently.”
“That didn’t happen, and for that, I’m very happy. They treat me like a normal guy, like one of their friends. That helps a lot because in this world, you can have your friendships in the paddock, but it’s very easy to end up alone outside motorsport. I think it’s really important to keep those kinds of friendships – they’re essential.”
“You know, when you get to spend a bit of time with them after a race weekend, it helps you switch off a bit, reconnect with reality. Those are the things that help you come back stronger.”
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