Fernando Alonso is adamant about Kimi Antonelli
Andrea Kimi Antonelli is about to become the youngest Formula 1 world champion ever, and even Fernando Alonso—who is usually ruthless and harsh in his judgments—can’t help but applaud the 20-year-old from Bologna for what he has done and is doing behind the wheel of the Mercedes.
“I haven’t been following the championship battle closely because, unfortunately, we’re a bit far removed from that fight. But when I see the results on Sundays, it seems like he always performs close to perfection. He never makes mistakes and never has a bad race. This consistency and this winning spirit have probably been the best aspect of this year for him,” said the Asturian on the sidelines of the Mexican Grand Prix.
“Execution, weekend after weekend, close to perfection. A fantastic season. He’ll become champion this weekend. It’s an incredible place to become champion in Mexico and to celebrate on Sunday night. Let’s hope we can go to the party…,” are the words reported by ESPN.
Antonelli finished qualifying in fourth place, behind Lewis Hamilton—who secured his first pole position with Ferrari with a time of 1’16″514—George Russell, just nine thousandths of a second behind, and Charles Leclerc. The Bologna native explained that he hasn’t yet fully recovered from the illness that has been sapping his strength in recent days: “I feel very tired; I haven’t fully recovered yet, and to be honest, it hasn’t been an easy weekend.”
The driver went on to say he had a high fever and stomach problems, and that he’s still struggling to sleep. The tension surrounding a championship that’s now within reach is also taking its toll. “Wherever I go and at any time of day, I keep hearing the same things. People tell me it’s a done deal,” admitted Antonelli, who has tried to ignore the buzz around him. Regarding his qualifying lap, he added that he struggled to find grip with the new tires in Q3 and made several mistakes, but that he still has a set of fresh tires available for the race. To be crowned champion, all he needs to do is finish ninth.
