Kimi Antonelli, 18 Italian, will start the Miami Grand Prix on Sunday in the second row of the grid when he continues his impressive season recruited in Formula 1. And although the sight of the teenager, who obtained his driving license in January, finishing P3 in front of his teammate Mercedes George Russell and a crowd of more experienced pilots attracted the imagination of the public Quadruple world champion Max Verstappen. The Dutchman seized the pole position in the qualifications of Saturday ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren, but with Antonelli at only 0.067 seconds behind his fellow rhythm.
“I am not surprised,” said Versapen de Red Bull, the reigning world champion and winner of two of the three races of the Grand Prix organized in Miami.
“Again, when you just started in one formula, there is so much to learn and really at this rate is very impressive.
“But I am not surprised at the same time and he will only improve. I think it’s as simple as that.”
Norris said that Antonelli’s record in the race until it entered the Elite category had alerted the sport of its capacities.
“Everything he has done in his car racing career was very strong. He has a very good teammate … So if he now wants to beat this teammate, beat George, so he clearly does a very good job,” said the British pilot.
Antonelli had taken the post for the sprint race on Saturday, making him the youngest driver to start in first place in any F1 race, but he was overwhelmed by Oscar Piastri in the first round and ended seventh in the race won by Norris.
Nevertheless, Antonelli said that he quickly learned of both F1 in general and the details of the Mercedes car.
“Each weekend is a learning and an experience. I am also more confident with the car. This weekend is going well so far. It was a little disappointing this morning, but it was good to bounce back in this way.
“I had a little trouble during the quality, I did not have such a clean race as I had done yesterday. But the latter lap was quite good. I was a little too greedy by the turn, but the rest of the knees was quite good, so I am satisfied.
“The shortcomings are super tight, and certainly, if you can win a few hundredths, you can invent so many places. It is really about assembling everything and so far this weekend, I do that. I hope that tomorrow we can have a good race.”
Antonelli will now carry the hopes of F1 Italian fans that one of their own could bring Glory back to a motorsport nation that has not had a winner of the Grand Prix since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2006.
The last Italian to win the World Pilot Championship was Alberto Ascari in 1953, although the 1978 champion Mario Andretti was born in Italy but represented the United States.
(With the exception of the title, this story has not been published by NDTV staff and is published from a unionized flow.)
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