Kimi Antonelli admitted the roar of the tifosi at Monza last weekend gave him an extra boost, as speculation swirls over a potential future move to Ferrari. The Mercedes driver described hearing the Italian anthem and his name chanted in unison as a goosebumps-inducing moment. "It gave me the push to try to do even better," he told automoto.it.
The 20-year-old delivered a sensational performance at the Temple of Speed. Despite starting from the back due to an engine change penalty, he carved his way through the field to take victory ahead of teammate George Russell. The win further solidified his position at the top of the drivers' championship.
Antonelli couldn't escape questions about his future, especially with Ferrari lurking. The Bologna-born driver stressed his loyalty to Mercedes, the team that has backed him since he was 12. "Mercedes showed faith in me from a very young age and guided my development. I hope to deliver more success for them going forward," he said.
However, when pressed further, Antonelli didn't completely close the door on a future move to Ferrari. But he insisted his current focus is on winning as much as possible with Mercedes. "I just want to focus on my job right now," he added.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff addressed Ferrari's interest directly. Speaking to RTBF, he acknowledged that the Scuderia's admiration for the championship leader was well known. "Ferrari should have done the job six or seven years ago," he argued, suggesting Ferrari only now recognises Antonelli's talent. Wolff added that Ferrari would inevitably do all it could to secure an Italian driver.
Ferrari has not had a full-time Italian driver since Ivan Capelli in 1992, 34 years ago. Since then, the seat has been dominated by foreign drivers. Giancarlo Fisichella briefly drove for Ferrari in 2009 as a substitute for the injured Felipe Massa.
With Antonelli's stunning form and Ferrari's open interest, this saga is expected to continue throughout the season. For now, both driver and team present a united front. Mercedes and Antonelli seem unwilling to be distracted by the speculation.
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