Kimi Raikkonen shares what he thinks of ‘special’ Kimi Antonelli after four straight wins

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Kimi Raikkonen has backed namesake Kimi Antonelli to become the youngest F1 world champion in history this year.

Antonelli bagged his fourth consecutive victory at the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday following George Russell’s retirement. He now leads the standings by a mighty margin of 43 points, although there are still 17 races to go.

No driver has ever won the title before their 23rd birthday, but there’s now an increasing chance that Antonelli will lift the trophy at the age of 19.

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Kimi Raikkonen warns Kimi Antonelli about Oscar Piastri ‘trap’ as F1 title chances grow

In a rare interview with journalist Leo Turrini, Raikkonen gave his take on Antonelli. He loves the sophomore driver’s spirited approach to racing.

He’s also confident that Antonelli can handle the ‘pressure’ of the F1 title fight despite his inexperience. Last year, Oscar Piastri faltered down the stretch as he chased his first championship.

Piastri led by 34 points with 10 races to go but eventually finished third, 13 behind teammate Lando Norris, after a series of crashes and below-par performances. Raikkonen is confident Antonelli ‘won’t fall into the same trap’.

“Naturally, I follow Antonelli’s exploits with great sympathy,” said Raikkonen. “It amuses me that he shares my name, even though I think I’ve realised it’s a trivial coincidence. He’s certainly really good.

“Obviously, in Formula 1, you don’t win four consecutive Grands Prix unless you have special talent. Antonelli’s numbers are a feat. Having the right car is crucial, but it’s always been like that, in every era.

• READ MORE: Ferrari owners issue internal ‘directive’ to sign Kimi Antonelli ‘as quickly as possible’

“Yes, and he believes it, you can see it in the way he approaches the races, in the spirit he puts into it.

“Antonelli won’t lose focus; he’s showing maturity. He’ll have to avoid imitating the Piastri of 2025. At one point, the Australian McLaren driver seemed to have the title in the bag, but he couldn’t handle the pressure. The Italian won’t fall into the same trap.”

Is Kimi Antonelli named after Kimi Raikkonen?

Antonelli’s first name is actually Andrea, but he has largely been referred to as ‘Kimi’ (his middle name) since he reached F1.

The driver himself has confirmed that the name wasn’t inspired by Raikkonen, the 2007 F1 world champion. It was given to him by a family friend, who thought that it ‘fitted well’ with his other names.

Antonelli, born in 2006, will only remember Raikkonen’s second stint in F1, which began in 2012. The Finn won three races during that spell, but rarely hit the heights of his earlier years.