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After a record-breaking start to the 2026 F1 season, Kimi Antonelli now faces a big test with the Tifosi as he looks to secure as much glory as he can for Mercedes.
Kimi Antonelli’s fairytale weekend at the Chinese GP saw him become the youngest ever pole-sitter in F1 history, the second youngest Grand Prix winner, and the first Italian to stand on the top step of the podium since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2006.
Many sporting legends from the Mediterranean-based country expressed their joy for Antonelli’s feats in Shanghai, and he immediately went on to add to his trophy cabinet with another victory at Suzuka two weeks later.
Do you think Kimi Antonelli has the complete support of Italian F1 fans as he goes up against Ferrari this season?
Riccardo Patrese's crash at the 1983 San Marino GP was celebrated by Ferrari fans as Patrick Tambay went on to win.
However, the Tifosi are one of the, if not the, most passionate fan bases in F1, and several Italian drivers have felt the wrath of Ferrari fans in the past due to them competing for another team on the grid.
With the Scuderia looking rather competitive this year, Antonelli may find himself on the wrong end of their support if he continues to show Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton his rear wing.
- READ MORE: Kimi Antonelli would ‘love to try’ racing with Max Verstappen in the Nurburgring 24 Hours
Riccardo Patrese was made to feel ‘worthless’ by Italian F1 fans when racing against Ferrari
Despite ending his career as the second most successful Italian F1 driver in terms of Grand Prix victories, Riccardo Patrese found it difficult to find favour from his compatriots due to the fact that he never drove for the famous Scuderia Ferrari.
During the 1983 San Marino Grand Prix, Patrese, who was driving for Brabham at the time, took the lead from Ferrari’s Patrick Tambay with six laps to go, much to the dismay of the local fans.
However, his time in P1 lasted just half a lap. The Italian crashed out at turn 12, handing the lead back to the Frenchman. The Tifosi reportedly erupted in cheers at the sight of their beloved red car being promoted, and Tambay went on to secure his second and final victory in F1.
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Responding to the boos after the race, Patrese said, via Speedweek, “As an Italian, you are worthless in your own country if you are not sitting in a Ferrari.”
Coincidentally, the 1983 edition of the race weekend at Imola also happened to be the final time that Enzo Ferrari witnessed his F1 team secure victory.
The iconic Italian racing outfit’s founder refused to attend races outside of Italy during the latter stages of his life, and Ferrari wouldn’t taste victory on Italian soil again until the Michael Schumacher era.
- READ MORE: Johnny Herbert tells Kimi Antonelli he must be ‘very selfish’ in title fight with George Russell
Stefano Domenicali is interested to see how Ferrari fans react to Kimi Antonelli this season
In a recent interview with Motorsport Italia, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali touched on the dilemma that Italian fans may be having now that Antonelli has cemented himself as a candidate for race wins.
He said, “It will be interesting to see if there could be a potential shift in the attention of Italian fans, no longer just towards Ferrari.
“Because, no matter where you’re from, if you’re at Ferrari, you’re the driver to root for; here, however, we’re talking about Kimi, an Italian driver, who doesn’t drive for Ferrari. It will be an incredible story to follow, because of course, Ferrari is Ferrari: it’s huge, it’s monumental.
“But an Italian driver like Kimi, who comes from the same region, with the same accent and everything else, could make it very interesting to see how big this potential shift in focus will be and how strong the following will be.”
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