Kimi Antonelli speaks at the press conference ahead of his first home Grand Prix as a Formula 1 driver
The Imola weekend is anything but an ordinary race for Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The young Mercedes driver is about to experience his first home race as a Formula 1 competitor, and the positive energy surrounding him is palpable. On the racing front, the Bologna-born driver is coming off an excellent weekend in Miami, where he secured pole position for the sprint race.
Speaking at the press conference, Antonelli touched on several topics, starting with Bologna’s recent Coppa Italia victory:“It was great to celebrate Bologna’s Coppa Italia win. The city was in celebration mode—it was fun, even though I didn’t stay out too late. I live not far from here, so this really is my home race. Driving on an old-school track like Imola is always something special. It’ll be emotional to race in front of so many fans, my family, and friends. Me or Ferrari? I hope there will be more flags for me, but it would still feel strange—Ferrari’s following is just massive.”
On track, he’ll be looking to build on a strong qualifying performance in Miami: “Qualifying in Miami went well and gave me confidence. The race didn’t go quite how I’d hoped, but I haven’t lost faith. Now the European leg of the season begins, and I’m very motivated. Have I dreamed of a home podium? My family is superstitious, so we don’t talk about it. But obviously, that’s the goal—it would be something incredible.”
“What’s missing to win? It’s not up to me to say exactly, but the car is consistent and the team is doing a great job. The gap with McLaren is still significant, as we saw in Miami too, but we’re working hard to close it. I’ve been to the factory—there’s great enthusiasm, and the updates we’re bringing should hopefully help us take a step forward.”
Imola is unlike any other race, and the real challenge will be managing the emotional side of things: “It will be an emotionally intense weekend, and I’ll have to manage my energy well, avoiding wasting it on unnecessary things. It’s important to reach Sunday in the best possible condition, and fortunately, I have people around me who help with that. Enthusiasm, though, can also become a positive boost to perform well. The note Hamilton wrote me says a lot about the kind of person he is, beyond being a champion. Receiving it from one of the greatest drivers in history was something special. I hung it up in my room and I use it as motivation to give my best on track.”