Kimi Antonelli makes Italy dream at 19 but dad Marco puts the brakes on

“To see my son win the Monte Carlo Grand Prix at the age of 19? How can you imagine such a thing? I’ve always believed in his abilities and I knew he would be supported by an important team like Mercedes, but this is a special victory, even more exciting than the first one achieved in China.” Dad Marco’s word, interviewed by Gazzetta dello Sport after Kimi’s triumph.

For the Antonelli family, the triumph in the Principality represents an unforgettable moment, but without losing sight of the path yet to be taken. “It is a beautiful result and I want Kimi to enjoy it to the fullest. He is having a great season and we are very proud of him. At the same time, we know there is a long way to go; he has to keep working with this mentality and maybe one day we can say we have written history. For now, we have only covered a part of the path.”

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, senior Antonelli identifies several possible obstacles. “Bad luck, mistakes, difficult moments. In motorsport, everything can change in an instant. We know this environment well and we know how thin the line is between success and difficulty. As a family we stand by him, and the team also does an excellent job in protecting him, but it takes very little for things to change. Kimi is fully aware of that.”

On the World Championship theme, the watchword remains caution. “We move forward race by race. That’s the best way to approach a season, both when things go wrong and when things go right. We will only think about the championship when there are a few races left, not before. The goal is to stay focused on each weekend and always try to get the best.”