Kimi Antonelli has refused to rule out racing for Ferrari at some point in his Formula 1 career, although the Italian has made it clear that his immediate priority remains winning as much as possible with Mercedes. The 20-year-old explained that he feels a debt of gratitude towards the team that backed him from the age of 12 and helped guide his rise to Formula 1.
As Formula 1 prepares to head to Azerbaijan for the Baku Grand Prix, Italian fans still have vivid memories of Kimi Antonelli’s two consecutive victories at Monza and Madrid. With eight wins already to his name, the Mercedes driver is increasingly establishing himself as a serious candidate to become the youngest Formula 1 world champion in history, as well as the first Italian to claim the crown in more than 70 years.
Kimi Antonelli reflects on the emotion of winning at Monza
In an exclusive interview with Automoto.it, Kimi Antonelli discussed, among other subjects, what his recent Monza victory meant to him as an Italian. His triumph came after a remarkable recovery from the penultimate position and created one of the most emotional moments of his season.
“The energy from the fans during the Grand Prix was incredible and gave me the motivation to try to do even better. The Monza podium is the most beautiful of the year, and hearing all the fans singing the anthem together, singing ‘Sarà perché ti amo’ and shouting my name gave me goosebumps.”
The scenes carried particular significance for an Italian driver competing at the country’s most famous Formula 1 venue. They also inevitably raised another question: whether Kimi Antonelli could one day represent Ferrari.
Kimi Antonelli refuses to rule out a future Ferrari move
When Italy and Monza are part of the conversation, thoughts naturally turn towards Ferrari and the possibility of an Italian world champion one day wearing the famous red overalls and representing the Prancing Horse.
Asked directly whether he could become a Ferrari driver in the future, Kimi Antonelli stressed his current loyalty to Mercedes while stopping short of ruling anything out later in his career.
“At the moment I’m happy at Mercedes. I feel I have a debt to repay to them for all the opportunities they have given me. They were the ones who believed in me when I was only 12 years old. They have accompanied me throughout this development journey and I hope to repay them by achieving a lot of success with them. Then we’ll see. I’m not ruling anything out, but today the objective is to win as much as possible with Mercedes.”
His comments make his immediate intentions clear: Mercedes remains the focus of his Formula 1 career, even if he is unwilling to close the door on other possibilities further into the future. Ferrari, meanwhile, continues its own 2026 campaign with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, whose season-long performances can be followed through the Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton season comparison.
Mercedes support has played a major role in Antonelli’s rise
Mercedes’ backing and Toto Wolff’s guidance have been fundamental in allowing Kimi Antonelli to express his potential at this stage of his career. The Austrian team principal has been an important figure throughout the Italian driver’s progression, providing both direct criticism and reassurance when circumstances demanded different approaches.
Kimi Antonelli spoke warmly about Toto Wolff and the way the Mercedes boss has handled their relationship.
“Toto has always been transparent with me. He has always told me things exactly as they were. Last year at Monza, he told me that I needed to wake up because the team needed my contribution. When I had the accident in Australia, on the other hand, he came to me and tried to calm me down, helping me approach qualifying without being afraid of having another accident. I’m very grateful to be able to count on someone like him, who understands both the human and sporting sides.”
That relationship helps explain why Kimi Antonelli is reluctant to look beyond Mercedes despite being willing to acknowledge that nothing can be completely excluded in the longer term. The team identified his potential when he was still a child, supported his development and ultimately gave him the opportunity to compete at Formula 1’s highest level.
For now, his attention remains on converting that support into further victories as the championship moves to Baku, where the demanding combination of long straights and energy management will provide another significant challenge. The wider championship picture can also be followed through the Formula 1 driver standings.
Antonelli heads to Baku after consecutive victories
Kimi Antonelli therefore arrives at the next stage of the season carrying considerable momentum. Consecutive victories at Monza and Madrid have strengthened his championship position, while his home success produced an emotional connection with the Italian crowd that inevitably fuelled discussion about Ferrari.
Yet his message about the immediate future remains unequivocal. The possibility of Ferrari has not been dismissed, but Mercedes is the team with which Kimi Antonelli currently wants to win. With eight victories already secured and the prospect of a historic world championship still ahead of him, his focus remains firmly on making the most of the opportunity Mercedes has given him.
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