‘I am with Kimi now’: Valentino Rossi embraces Antonelli’s F1 charge

40

MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi has thrown his support behind Kimi Antonelli, saying the teenager’s extraordinary rise in Formula 1 is not only thrilling for the sport but also “very special” for Italy.

Antonelli’s remarkable second season has turned him into one of the biggest stories in world motorsport. At just 19 years old, the Mercedes prodigy sits on top of the Formula 1 drivers’ standings at the halfway stage of the championship, holding a commanding lead over both Lewis Hamilton and team-mate George Russell.

For a country that has waited decades for a genuine home-grown Formula 1 title contender, Antonelli’s emergence has sparked a wave of excitement rarely seen since the glory days of Alberto Ascari.

Rossi embraces Italy’s new F1 hero

Rossi, one of Italy’s greatest sporting legends with nine world titles on two wheels, admits Antonelli’s success has struck a deep emotional chord in his home country.

“You can imagine in Italy, with Ferrari, it is like a religion you know,” Rossi told Sky Sports F1. “For sure all the Italians are happy when Ferrari win. But I am more a driver fan.”

The 47-year-old – who now races on four wheels in the GT World Challenge – explained that his passion has always centred on individual talent rather than team allegiance.

“I follow Lando [Norris], I follow Lewis [Hamilton], I follow the driver. You know, if you drive for McLaren or for Ferrari, for me it is not a big difference,” he said.

“So, I am with Kimi now. He is a great talent, he has a lot of speed and, in Italy, we never had a Formula 1 driver who can win the championship in the last 70 years, so this is very special.”

A nation dreaming again

Rossi’s words capture the scale of what Antonelli is achieving. Italy has not celebrated a Formula 1 world champion since Ascari in 1953, while Giancarlo Fisichella was the last Italian to win a Grand Prix - in 2006 in Malaysia – some 19 years before Antonelli burst onto the scene.

That drought has made Antonelli’s title challenge feel like a national event. The anticipation for next month’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza is already building, with the Temple of Speed expected to erupt when the young Italian arrives leading the championship.

Yet amid the growing frenzy, Antonelli appears refreshingly grounded. Asked ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix whether he or tennis world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is currently more famous in Italy, the teenager laughed and replied: “More famous in Italy is Charles [Leclerc], right now. He’s probably the most famous man in Italy.”

That self-deprecating humour may be another reason Italian fans have embraced him so quickly.

For Rossi, though, the bigger picture is clear: Antonelli represents a rare moment when Italy can dream of returning to the very top of Formula 1, and that makes his rise every bit as important for the country as it is for the championship itself.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.