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Ex-Formula 1 driver Jean Alesi has claimed that Kimi Antonelli has already won over Ferrari fans who never cared about Italian drivers.
Antonelli, 19, has enjoyed a flying start to the 2026 F1 season, having secured consecutive victories in Shanghai and Suzuka.
As a result of his impressive displays in China and Japan, Antonelli currently has a nine-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell at the top of the standings.
The young Italian will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins when F1 returns next weekend at the much-anticipated Miami Grand Prix, where Antonelli secured his maiden Sprint pole last year.
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Jean Alesi says Kimi Antonelli has won over Ferrari fans who never cared about Italian drivers
Speaking recently to RacingNews365, former F1 star Alesi claimed that Antonelli has already achieved something that other Italian drivers struggled with.
The Frenchman, who drove for teams like Ferrari, Benetton and Sauber during his F1 career, stated that Antonelli has already won over Italian fans who previously only cared about the Scuderia.
Alesi explained: “Kimi Antonelli has already achieved something that other Italian drivers had trouble with in the past: he has won the sympathy of his compatriots.
“It’s a very good balance and lucky for Kimi, because in the past with Michele Alboreto and other very talented Italian drivers it was so that there was no room for Italian drivers. The press was only about Ferrari.
“Now that is not the case. They love him and they love Ferrari. They are also very proud of Kimi. So it’s a very nice story for him and also for the Italians who really love motorsport.”
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READ MORE: Lando Norris warns Kimi Antonelli about the ‘huge challenge’ he now faces in F1 title quest
Bradley Lord wants ‘intense’ battle between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell
Speaking recently on the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show, Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord wants the drivers to be ‘intense’ and have ‘all-out competition’ in the remainder of the season.
He said: “And then, a brilliant fight between George and Kimi, and neither of them has had a smooth run through the weekend so far.
“So it would be fun as well to see if both get smooth FP1 and then how that sort of competition starts to shape up as well, because that rivalry as an F1 driver is always there.
“Your teammate is a colleague but also your biggest rival, and we know that that is going to continue to grow. It’s in a really good place at the moment, and we hope it will stay there too.
“But, we want it to be intense, and we want it to be all-out competition on track. So it’s going to be fun to get back to that as well.”
With just nine points between the pair of them, Russell and Antonelli will be going head-to-head once more at next weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
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