On his blog Profondo Rosso, Italian journalist and well-known Ferrari insider Leo Turrini shared a conversation he had with Marco Antonelli – father of the talented Kimi – about his son’s missed opportunity to join Ferrari, due to the decision of then-team principal Maurizio Arrivabene.
Kimi Antonelli could have gone to Ferrari: the behind-the-scenes story
Here’s what the journalist reported: “I understand, you’re about to ask me why my son, born and raised in the Motor Valley, a true Emiliano, reached Formula One with Mercedes and not with Ferrari…”, the former driver reportedly began.
“Look, there’s a mistake here. My boy, because I always see Kimi as a child, he did go to Ferrari.
“He was invited as a karting prodigy. He had been noticed by Massimo Rivola, currently team principal of Aprilia in MotoGP, who at the time was in charge of the Ferrari Driver Academy…
“Kimi was eleven years old. He even tried the Maranello simulator, not the F1 one obviously, but the one reserved for the Academy kids.
“Everything was fine, it’s just that Maurizio Arrivabene, who at the time was leading the racing department, said my boy was still too young.
“A few months later Mercedes contacted us, and I imagine you know the rest of the story,” were Marco Antonelli’s final words on the matter.
Ferrari let one of the greatest talents slip through their fingers, but this was probably Kimi’s true fortune.
Yet, we will never know if, today, we might have had Hamilton still at Mercedes and the Italian in the Red car.
It would certainly be exciting to see Kimi Antonelli in a Ferrari, and for the future, it is a scenario far from impossible: “You never know,” the 18-year-old said when asked about it.
Meanwhile, Italy enjoys a driver with unlimited potential, who has earned his place on the grid for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
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