Valentino Rossi warns Kimi Antonelli: “It’s going to be tough now”

In an interview with Sky, Valentino Rossi praised Andrea Kimi Antonelli for winning the first F1 World Championship title of his career: “It moved me deeply. He was a great driver, and it was wonderful to watch him. Seeing him become champion in his second year is a great source of satisfaction. He was truly formidable in 2026: I expected him to be competitive, but the leap he’s made compared to last year has been impressive.”

“Much of this championship belongs to him; Mercedes isn’t as dominant as it was in the past,” continued “The Doctor.” I’ve always been frustrated by the lack of Italian drivers capable of winning races and World Championships; I always wondered why there were so many of us in motorcycle racing—all very strong—but not in F1.”

The driver from Tavullia sends a warning to Antonelli: “Now he’ll become a hero, and rightly so: but I have to say that it’ll be tough for Kimi from here on out, because he’ll become a global superstar. We’ll have to manage that aspect a bit, but if he stays this way, it won’t be a big problem.”

The nine-time world champion has known Kimi for a long time: “I first heard about Kimi in Migliaro, in karting, where he set the track record. That’s when I started following him, and he stood out even back in karting. He was lucky to grow up under Toto Wolff’s wing, but given his performance this year, he’s really paid them back in spades. To me, he can truly become one of the greatest drivers in history; he can win 4, 5, or 6 World Championships if he has the car. He reminds me a bit of myself when I was 20 or 21, so I really enjoy watching him.”