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Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli is about to embark on his Formula 1 journey, and he's carrying more than just ambition with him.
The 18-year-old Italian has revealed that his motivation and drive to reach the pinnacle of motorsport has been fueled in large part by the legendary Ayrton Senna, who serves as both his racing hero and the inspiration behind his racing number.
Antonelli's story is one of passion, determination, and a touch of childhood ingenuity.
Antonelli's passion for racing ignited at a young age, and his first taste of the F1 paddock came in a rather unconventional way.
“It was Hockenheim in 2014. I couldn’t get into the paddock because I was too little," he recalled, speaking in an interview published on the Mercedes website.
"My Dad decided to hide me inside a stack of tyres and wheel me through on a trolley.
"We put an umbrella on top to make me harder to see! I got through and into the pit lane, and my dad’s friend got me a pass.
“I had a look around for an hour and it was such a cool experience—but we always laugh at the story of the trolley,” he admitted.
This early experience, though humorous in retrospect, solidified his dream of one day competing in the sport he loved.
While many young drivers find their heroes on the current grid, Antonelli's admiration lies with one of F1's all-time greats.
“I always got really passionate when I saw videos of Senna. Growing up I would watch all the DVDs of the seasons from the 1980s to the 2000s, and in one of them, I remember watching Ayrton and it really stood out," Antonelli explained.
"I know I was not lucky enough to watch him race, but when I watched all these videos I started to realise all these incredible races he has done. I watched the documentary and the recent series too.
“He is my idol because of who he was off the track as well as on it. An incredible driver, but a great person too.
“That inspired me, and to achieve even a little part of what he did in my career would be so cool.”
Senna’s influence extends beyond admiration for Antonelli – it’s literally written on his car. The young Italian will sport the number 12 on his Mercedes, a number steeped in history and sentiment.
“It is because of Ayrton,” Antonelli confirmed. “But it is also the number I first used in single-seaters.”
The #12 has been a lucky charm for Antonelli throughout his junior career. He ran it in his title-winning seasons in Italian and German Formula 4 in 2022 and later carried it to further success in the Formula Regional Middle East and European championships in 2023.
But its connection to Senna makes it all the more meaningful.
The Brazilian famously raced with #12 during his three seasons with Lotus from 1985 to 1987, securing his first-ever F1 victory in the wet at Estoril in 1985 – one of the performances that cemented his legend.
Antonelli’s path to F1 has been different from Senna’s, but the ambition, determination, and passion for racing remain the same.
As he embarks on his rookie season, he does so with a mindset that his hero would surely approve of.
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