Adriano Panatta doesn’t hold back when it comes to Jannik Sinner and Kimi Antonelli

Adriano Panatta praised the champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who triumphed at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza after an impressive comeback from 19th place, watched by Jannik Sinner, who was in the stands cheering on his friend.

“What do they have in common? They’re both absolute champions,” the former Italian tennis player told Domenica Sportiva. “This kid is really fast—he set the lap record on the final lap… It’s a beautiful image, and this young man seems so genuine and down-to-earth; he looks like a teenager walking out of high school with a backpack. It’s something that’s really good for Italian sports, which is going through a fantastic period right now.”

“Jannik, Kimi: these are the figures who are good for Italy as a whole; they lift our spirits a little. I’m almost moved.”

Antonelli’s feat is destined to go down in history: no driver had ever fought back from nineteenth place at Monza, and the 20-year-old from Bologna also became the youngest driver to triumph at the Autodromo. Above all, he is the first Italian to win the Italian Grand Prix since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966—a sixty-year wait swept away on an unforgettable Sunday. Behind him, Mercedes teammate George Russell finished second, with Max Verstappen third in his Red Bull. It was a bitter day for Ferrari, however: Lewis Hamilton finished sixth, and Charles Leclerc was forced to retire after a nasty crash at the Parabolica curve.

Sinner’s presence at Monza did not go unnoticed. The world’s No. 1 tennis player, who missed the 2026 U.S. Open due to a knee injury, has been working in Turin in recent days to recover as best as possible. However, he took advantage of a day off to visit the racetrack, once again confirming his reputation as a good-luck charm for Italian sports. After Antonelli’s triumph, Sinner was quick to dedicate a post to him on social media: “Congratulations, Kimi, you’re great!”