Kimi Antonelli weighs in on Ferrari’s future as well as the World Cup
Kimi Antonelli’s opening remarks on the eve of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix weekend are focused on the World Cup. The Mercedes driver, the current championship leader, commented on Italy’s absence from the World Cup, then touched on the recent celebrations following his victory in Monte Carlo and his goals for the weekend in Spain.
“Unfortunately, Italy isn’t in the World Cup, so if you ask me for a prediction… I reluctantly have to look elsewhere. I’ve been a fan of Lionel Messi ever since he played for Barcelona. I think it will be a close battle; many teams can win: Argentina, Spain, even England and Germany, I think, but I can’t tell you more than that,” explained Antonelli, before returning to his victory in the Principality.
“Getting back to my recent victory in Monte Carlo, well, the post-race celebration with the dip in the harbor waters was really great, even though I don’t want to know what was in that water! It was nice to share such an important moment with the team. I also really enjoyed the gala evening; I hope to be able to go back! But Monte Carlo is behind us: we’re in Barcelona and we’re aiming to do it again, even though we know it will be difficult.”
Looking ahead to the Catalan challenge, Antonelli identifies several rivals to watch, starting with the championship’s top contenders. “Red Bull is on the rise and proved it in Monaco; Ferrari is bringing a package of updates here and will certainly be a contender. And then there’s McLaren, which in the heat—as we saw in Miami—can be a very tough opponent. As for us, here we’ll finally be able to test the effectiveness of the package we’ve been using since the Canadian Grand Prix. Montreal, however, was a one-of-a-kind track, and the same can be said of Monte Carlo. Barcelona, therefore, is the first classic track where we can finally gauge the effectiveness of the updates.”
Finally, the young Italian driver reflected on the progress he’s made in his first year and a half in Formula 1, recalling the challenges he’s faced and the strides he’s taken during his time in the Circus. “A year of experience behind me changes everything. Now I have a better understanding of how the race weekend unfolds, how the track evolves, and energy management. I know the team better, and our relationship has grown closer. Last year I doubted myself a lot, especially during the middle of the season, the European Grand Prix stretch. Today, however, I realize that the difficulties of that period helped me grow, both as a driver and as a person. This year I’ve never doubted myself, but I still have to answer many questions, especially regarding my potential and my room for improvement.”
