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Kimi Antonelli has praised Ferrari in response to a question about racing for the Prancing Horse one day.
Links between Antonelli and Ferrari have predictably emerged now that the Italian is fast becoming a superstar in F1. He has become the first driver in history to win his first four races consecutively.
Indeed, a report after his win in Canada last weekend claimed Ferrari’s owners had issued a ‘directive’ to sign Antonelli ‘as soon as possible’, though Mercedes remain in control of the 19-year-old’s future.
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In an interview after receiving the Bandini Trophy in Emilia Romagna, Antonelli was asked whether he’s thought about racing for Ferrari one day, prompting laughter in the room.
He admitted that a move is appealing for multiple reasons – the strength of the team, the passion of the fanbase and the iconic nature of the brand.
Lewis Hamilton said in an interview with L’Equipe last year that ‘I can’t think of any other car brand, or any other brand in the world, that stirs such emotion’, and Antonelli echoed that sentiment.
However, he stressed that he wants to ‘win a lot’ with Mercedes before he thinks about joining Ferrari. He feels ‘indebted’ to Toto Wolff and co. after they signed him age 11 and backed him to replace Hamilton, a seven-time world champion.
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“Ferrari is an immense team, has a crazy following and is a brand that will remain in history forever,” Antonelli said, via Il Piccolo Faenza. “You never know, but I’m very happy, as I said, at Mercedes and my goal is to win a lot, because they gave me the opportunity when I was little and they’ve accompanied me on this journey up to now.
“I’m also indebted to Mercedes, so first of all, I feel the duty to do my best with them and then we’ll see.”
Lewis Hamilton is under contract until the end of 2027, while Charles Leclerc’s deal runs until the end of 2029 but does feature an exit clause.
It’s not inconceivable that Antonelli could succeed Hamilton at Ferrari, just as he did at Mercedes, but academy driver Oliver Bearman, currently at Haas, remains the overwhelming favourite for that position.
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There has been some uncertainty over Leclerc’s future, with his manager known to have spoken to other teams, but there isn’t an obvious alternative for the Monegasque driver as it stands.
Antonelli increasingly looks like a generational talent, so Mercedes will do all they can to keep him long-term. He clearly understands the allure of Ferrari, but they will need to threaten the Silver Arrows’ present dominance to be a genuinely appealing option.
Ferrari failed to sign Antonelli during his karting days, apparently because team boss Maurizio Arrivabene thought he was too small, and they may now regret it.
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