Kimi Antonelli and the Ferrari Speculation: Lewis Hamilton Weighs In Harshly
During the usual pre-race press conference on Thursday, one of the topics discussed by the media with Lewis Hamilton was Kimi Antonelli’s possible future move to Ferrari, This is a fascinating prospect, especially since no Italian driver has won the Formula 1 World Championship since 1953: Alberto Ascari was the last to do so, behind the wheel of a Ferrari—the 500 F2—to claim motorsports’ highest honor.
For one of the Scuderia’s current drivers, Lewis Hamilton, however, it’s not a given that Antonelli will join Ferrari: “It’s a possibility, of course, but there are many talented drivers who could have a chance at Ferrari in the future. And to be honest: I don’t think Toto Wolff is willing to let him go anytime soon. Kimi, however, deserves everything he’s achieving; he has an extraordinary team by his side. Bono, his track engineer (Hamilton’s former engineer, ed.), is a capable person, and he knows how to guide him.”
Hamilton, turning his attention to the race, also said that Antonelli will be able to make up ground without any problems: “Kimi won’t have much trouble moving right back up into the top five or six positions. But we have to focus on our own race and capitalize on the fans’ support, which really makes a difference here. In Italy, on the other hand, support remains primarily for Ferrari as a matter of identity and culture: in Italy, it’s all about pasta, pizza, and Ferrari.”
The last Italian driver to race a Ferrari in F1 was Giancarlo Fisichella, who competed in the final five GPs of 2009, replacing Luca Badoer, who in turn had taken over for Felipe Massa after the Hungaroring accident. For the last Italian to score points (and finish on the podium) in a Ferrari, however, we have to go back to the 1994 Imola Grand Prix, where Nicola Larini finished second—a result that was overshadowed by the tragic events of that weekend. The last Italian victory in a Ferrari, on the other hand, was Michele Alboreto’s win at the 1985 German Grand Prix.
