Home debut for Formula 1-Wonderkind-Antonelli conquers Italy’s heart

For his mom, Italy’s Formula 1-Wonderkind Kimi Antonelli is still the “little mouse“. At his first home grand prix at the gates of his birthplace Bologna, the 18-year-old was already hoping for a motorsport nation. When an Italian in Formula 1 won for the last time, Antonelli was not yet born. The convincing start to the season of the Mercedes newcomer makes the Tifosi dream of a sparkling future before the race in Imola.

“We were ready to take this risk and this risk is now paying off“, says team boss Toto Wolff. With 48 points, the frenzied teenager is a World Cup sixth, even in front of record world champion Lewis Hamilton, whose cockpit he took over. While Ferrari with superstar Hamilton gives the fans little occasion for euphoria before the guest appearance in the Emilia-Romagna, Antonelli conquers the hearts in the storm.

Hamilton: “It’s such a great story”

As the youngest driver in the story, he recently won a pole position in Formula 1 for the sprint in Miami. Antonelli had already cited a Grand Prix in Japan as the youngest pilot and shot a fastest race round. “Something like this makes all critics silence. I love to see something of an outsider. This is such a great story“Even the seven -time champion Hamilton enthuses.

Many had thought it was a great risk of Mercedes to leave Antonelli to Hamilton’s cockpit when he sensationally switched to Ferrari. “There were many people who advised us to send Kimi to the Formula 1 apprenticeship, such as Williams“, says team boss Wolff. But the factory team relies on the young man with the curly head, which it had already brought into the in -house youth program at the age of twelve.

Antonelli had attracted attention with series victories in the kart. This was followed by success in the young formulas. Antonelli is powered by father Marco, who is a racing driver himself and builds up his own motorsport team. “I suffered a bit in the first few years because he was pretty hard to me“, Antonelli says in the Netflix documentary” The Seat “, which illuminates his ascent to Formula 1.

Monza accident shocked the mom

The episode of the Monza weekend in the previous year shows how big the pressure and expectations are. Antonelli gets a chance in the silver arrow in opening training – and rushes into the gang in the second round. “That was an emotional shock. I cried in the paddock for a day and a half“, says Mother Veronica, who also asserts with the family at the dining table:”He will always stay my little mouse.“

In Monza, Mercedes officially announced that Antonelli will succeed Hamilton. The Italian does not see himself as a mere replacement. “I just see myself as the next Mercedes driver. I want to write my own story“, says Antonelli.

So far he has been able to do this quite impressively. “I become more confident every weekend in dealing with the car, I understand better what the car is capable of“explains Antonelli, who has only had a car driver’s license since January and still buffers on the Formula 1 world trip for his school leaving certificate. Experience is still lacking in the racing division when it comes to more than just a quick round.

Last Italian winner 19 years ago

Antonelli can trust racing engineer Peter Bonnington, who has been on Hamilton’s side for many years. “We don’t know what he doesn’t know. So we teach him a lot“, says Bonnington. The goal of Mercedes is to prepare Antonelli as best as possible for the coming season if the cards are mixed up with a large standard reform and new cars.

“I would advise him to just keep going. I think he knows what he’s doing and should just continue to enjoy it“, Hamamton Antonelli is organized. For the Italian fans, however, the first victory of her compatriot cannot go fast enough. In 2006 in Malaysia, Giancarlo Fisichella was the last Italian at the top of the Formula 1 podium. Italy last had a world champion in Alberto Ascari. That was in 1953.