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Piero Ferrari, son of Enzo Ferrari, has not ruled out the possibility of Kimi Antonelli racing for his father’s team one day.
Like any young Italian, Antonelli was part of the Tifosi. After all, he grew up only 28 miles away from the Ferrari factory in Maranello.
However, the two parties have not crossed paths, as the 19-year-old signed for the Mercedes academy. Antonelli ‘didn’t think twice’ about turning back on Ferrari after he had a phone call with Toto Wolff.
How worried should Kimi Antonelli be about his Mercedes future?
In 2025, Antonelli fought against Ferrari with Mercedes in his rookie season. He would finish seventh in the standings behind Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, but he did make a strong impression with three podiums.
His performances were enough to earn a contract extension for 2026, but not much about Antonelli’s contract is known beyond that. It opens the possibility of a move in the near future, and Ferrari are not closing the door on him.
Piero Ferrari says ‘it’s not forbidden’ to imagine Kimi Antonelli racing for Ferrari
As F1 heads into the 2026 season, rumours are already circulating about the F1 driver market and what Ferrari’s line-up will look like in 2027.
Leclerc’s management are considering their options for next year, with the Monegasque driver frustrated over Ferrari’s lack of success. It has been speculated that he could walk away from the team if they are uncompetitive in 2027.
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There are also doubts around Hamilton’s future in F1 and whether he will retire at the end of 2026. Ferrari could have a seat available, and Piero Ferrari has not ruled out signing Antonelli.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, when asked if he could see the Mercedes driver moving to Maranello one day, he replied: “It’s not forbidden. There have been Italians at Ferrari, and the last one who tried, a dear friend, Michele Alboreto, didn’t succeed.
“Antonelli has already proven he deserves top-flight cars: with a little experience, he’ll certainly become a great driver.”
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli
What has Kimi Antonelli said about Ferrari heading into 2026?
Antonelli has not ruled out joining Ferrari either, but he insists that he is happy at Mercedes. For now, he will fight against the Prancing Horse in 2026, and he could be in for a tough battle.
Many believe Mercedes have the fastest engine heading into the season, but Ferrari’s technical innovations in testing have caught people’s attention. They are being backed as a serious contender.
The 19-year-old is aware of the threat, as Antonelli was impressed by Ferrari’s reliability during pre-season. Leclerc and Hamilton will certainly give him strong competition.
However, Antonelli noticed Ferrari had more understeer compared to rivals such as McLaren and Red Bull. No one knows where anyone truly is at this stage, but the Italian could well be in contention alongside his boyhood team.
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