Formula 1’s most recent race victor was met with an enthusiastic ovation; Kimi Antonelli’s presence was unannounced, yet he chose to attend before making his way to Bologna airport for his journey to Japan.
More than 300 devotees gathered in Imola’s Checco Costa room for an event orchestrated by the Tifoseria Ayrton Senna Italia, bestowing a prolonged standing ovation upon the Mercedes driver.
Antonelli consistently participates in tributes to the three-time Brazilian world champion, asserting, “it’s great to be here celebrating a true legend. Beautiful. Ayrton has always been a legend for me.”
“I looked at what Senna did for the people, for Brazil, he was a source of inspiration for me,” Antonelli conveyed to Autosport. “He took care of every detail to be a winner. I’m doing what I’ve always dreamed of and loved, and I’m willing to give everything for my goal. I want to achieve it.”
There’s a strong likelihood he might secure this aspiration this year too, with Antonelli piloting the leading car in 2026, and he approaches the third round in Japan having celebrated his inaugural triumph in China during the previous outing. The 19-year-old Italian is consequently no longer seen as a newcomer entering F1, thus he shoulders a significant responsibility, as Riccardo Patrese informed him from the Imola stage, “you’ll have to fight for the world championship”.
“I don’t have huge expectations, ultimately, it’s just a race like any other on the calendar,” Antonelli commented. “I’m going to Suzuka with a clear idea of what I need to achieve and what I need to do, but without putting too much pressure on myself, because obviously Shanghai went well. I’m very happy with this and I know what I can do, but I know it won’t be easy, and I’ll have to stay focused and not have any more doubts.
“It’s once again a track that won’t be easy on the battery: there are some points where we’ll need to work hard on energy management. We’ll need to be on top of things right from the start, because Suzuka will be a tricky track for charging.
“Plus, it’s been completely resurfaced, so it’ll have a different grip, and according to the forecast, it’ll also be cold. The weather will also be an unknown factor, so we can’t make any mistakes.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
A key aspect of Antonelli’s impressive beginning to the season has been his proficiency in managing Pirelli tires across stints to prolong their effectiveness. Now, with Mercedes fielding the dominant car on the F1 grid, he intends to “make the most” of the opportunities presented this season.
“In the end, last year I already showed glimpses of what I could do,” Antonelli further noted, currently trailing his championship-leading teammate George Russell by four points. “Obviously, I was never able to fully realise my potential, and that’s something I’m trying to focus on this year, because I have a great opportunity in my hands.
“George and I have a car that’s really strong, and so I want to try to do my best, to make the most of this opportunity. I know it’s not an opportunity that comes along every day, so I have to try. I’ll definitely try to be ready and try until the end, because I’m in a good position, I’m in a great team.”
Despite Ferrari’s best efforts to pose a challenge to Mercedes, the likelihood of a championship bid from Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton remains low, suggesting a direct contest between Russell and Antonelli.
Mercedes has previously encountered such scenarios, with the period from 2014 to 2016 witnessing Hamilton and Nico Rosberg engage in a fierce rivalry for world championships at the onset of their last dominant phase.
However, dismissing concerns of a recurrence, Antonelli stated: “I’m perfectly aware that there needs to be a good dynamic within the team, and obviously, we’re both super competitive, but there’s a lot of respect and we value each other. I’m definitely the type of person who doesn’t want that kind of situation to happen.”
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Dom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
The pre-season forecasts likely anticipated Mercedes’ ascendancy given the introduction of new power unit regulations, yet the significant gap between them and their customer teams has proven somewhat unexpected.
Nevertheless, Antonelli highlighted factors beyond merely the engine as reasons for the W17’s “superior” performance. He explained, “There are other cars that have the same engine as us,” adding, “Let’s say the package is much more complete, and I have to admit that the team is doing a great job.
“It’s not just about the engine, it’s also a lot about the chassis, because you have to take the corners anyway. I have to say that people talk too much about the engine and too little about the chassis, because in the end the car itself works very well.
“So much so that in China we were the only ones in the race with so little graining on the tyres. The message seems clear to me: the car works.”
