Piero Ferrari was asked about the possibility of one day seeing Andrea Kimi Antonelli in red: the vice chairman of the Maranello team shared his thoughts ahead of the new Formula 1 season.
The Australian Grand Prix is just around the corner, with Sunday’s race set to open a season that marks the beginning of a new era in Formula 1. New regulations, new cars, new Power Units — and potentially a new competitive order? Pre-season testing provided an initial picture, but there are still many unknowns to resolve before the lights go out in Melbourne.
In a wide-ranging interview with Fulvio Solms of Corriere dello Sport, Piero Ferrari addressed several key topics, including the intriguing possibility of one day seeing Andrea Kimi Antonelli racing for Ferrari. The Ferrari vice chairman did not completely rule out a future move for the young Italian driver to Maranello. Here is how Piero Ferrari responded.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli is preparing to begin his second season in Formula 1. Last year, in his rookie campaign in the sport’s top category with Mercedes, he secured three podium finishes and ended the championship in seventh place with a total of 150 points. During the interview, Piero Ferrari spoke highly of the young Italian talent. When asked whether it was forbidden to dream of a future move to Maranello, the vice chairman replied: “It’s not forbidden.”
Piero Ferrari added: “There have been Italians at Ferrari, and the last one who tried — and who was a dear friend, Michele Alboreto — did not succeed.” Alboreto raced for the Maranello team from 1984 to 1988.
Piero Ferrari also praised the Mercedes driver for what he achieved in his debut Formula 1 season: “Antonelli has already shown that he deserves top-level cars: with a bit of experience he will certainly become a great driver.”
Piero Ferrari’s open-ended comments regarding Andrea Kimi Antonelli therefore add a romantic layer of intrigue to the start of this new technical era. While the immediate focus for the Scuderia is mastering the SF-26 and its revolutionary power unit, the long-term vision clearly includes keeping a watchful eye on the brightest local talent. The Italian’s impressive 150-point haul in his rookie year has already established him as a future title contender, and the possibility of him following in the footsteps of legends like Michele Alboreto is a dream that the Ferrari hierarchy is not yet ready to dismiss. For the fans in Melbourne and beyond, the 2026 season is not just about the new cars on the grid, but also about the potential alliances that could shape the next decade of the sport.
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