Kimi’s joy after his first Formula 1 podium: “The final laps were really stressful, but I had a feeling about today.”
Bomber Picci, an amateur italian footballer turned viral internet star, would probably describe Kimi Antonelli’s performance with his famous phrase: “I’m so happy and so tired” – (“Sono felicissimo e stanchissimo”). And honestly, Kimi would likely agree — exhaustion on one side, but completely outweighed by pure joy.
Kimi Antonelli’s words
Here’s what Kimi Antonelli told Sky Sport F1 after the race: “I still haven’t fully realized what happened today — it was all very intense. It was a really tough race, but I managed to get a great start, and that made a huge difference. I overtook Oscar right away at the start, and from that point on I could focus on my pace. That start was the key moment, because it put me in the right position from the very beginning.”
Kimi continued: “The tension was sky-high, especially in the final laps. I tried to build a small gap in the middle sector so I wouldn’t be under attack at the end of the straight, but it wasn’t easy. Volo kept updating me over the radio every lap, telling me the gaps — and I could really feel the pressure mounting. Then the safety car came out… and when I saw Oscar pit, I just prayed the race wouldn’t restart, because with the tyres I had, it would’ve been really tough to defend.”
“I’m relieved and incredibly happy with this result. We managed everything in the right way, I stayed calm and made the right calls. This is an important result — for the team, but also for myself. Before the race I said that today felt like an important day… and it truly was.”
Photo: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team