Visibly moved and emotional, Kimi Antonelli’s father couldn’t hide his feelings after his son’s pole position.
It was a Friday night to remember for Italian motorsport—and beyond—as Andrea Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position in the sprint race in Miami, hitting a major milestone by becoming the youngest pole-sitter in Formula 1 history. An incredible result for the 18-year-old Mercedes driver, considering this was only his sixth official race in the world’s top motorsport category.
A historic moment, charged with emotion, starting with that of his father Marco, who spoke after qualifying about his son’s extraordinary achievement: “It’s the first piece. It’s a new track for him, and he hadn’t tested the Soft tires. I didn’t think he could pull it off. He did great, and I don’t think there’s much more to say.”
Marco went on to add: “He’s a Formula 1 driver now, and if he wants to succeed, he has to do everything quickly and do it well. It’s not like a few years ago, when if you were a second off the pace you could still start fourth or fifth. Now, if you’re a second behind, you start 20th. You have to be on it, or your path ends quickly. He’s doing well, he’s learning to think strategically, and I hope he keeps going because he can make a real difference in the future.”
Last year’s crash in Monza left a deep mark on Antonelli’s growth, but with time, he overcame it. Marco explains: “Andrea has always been effective in every category he’s raced in, and he’s always been smart about managing race situations and more. We got through the Monza crash—something that stayed with him and definitely affected him during the first races of this season. It was a punishment he paid for dearly. Little by little, we put it behind us, and I think from now on we’ll see a calmer, more aware Kimi, fully conscious of his potential.”
Foto: Mercedes AMG-Petronas F1 Team
