This 16 year old driver hopes to be the next Italian F1 star

A rapid rise

2022 was a great year for Antonelli. In fact, the young man from Bologna finished at the top of the F4 standings in both Italy and Germany. "I couldn't have asked for more from last season, I think we were very strong," he comments, looking back on a season in which he won most of the races he competed in. Qualifying has also been his stomping ground, with 14 poles out of 21 races held in Italy, and he himself admits that he feels comfortable in qualifying. "This year my strong point has been qualifying. Qualifying is usually a session I like a lot, because you have to push hard and you have to try to set the best possible time."

What is impressive, though, is that this was the first full season in a car for Antonelli. Until the end of 2021, in fact, the Italian driver had only raced in karts, and he acknowledges that the jump from one medium to the other is very high: "The go-kart as a [style] is very different to the car, in terms of size, width and all those aspects there."

Last year Prema - his team - had allowed him to race in F4 in the last three rounds of the season. Ahead of 2022, and Antonelli acknowledges the importance of that choice: "I did these last three races to gain experience and prepare myself for the following season and I must say that they helped, because not only did I get to gain experience, but I also had the chance to compare myself with people who already had one or two years behind me in that category. I was able to learn a lot from them and this helped me above all to obtain good results in the following season."

The contribution of Mercedes, which has welcomed Andrea Kimi Antonelli into their academy since 2018, has also been fundamental in this fast growth. "They help me a lot, both on and off the track, so I think their support is very important," said the F4 champion, who also acknowledges that being part of such an important academy can bring additional pressure, but also give extra momentum. "I have to say that I used to feel a lot of pressure just because of that [being in an academy], [but] now I don't see it as some kind of extra pressure, some kind of extra load on my shoulders, but I see it more as an opportunity to get where I want to be."

The extra step

Next season Antonelli will change the category, moving up to Formula Regional. He will race with Prema, who are a top team in the lower Formula categories, and will always be closely followed by Mercedes. Although it is not like going from karts to cars, it will be a big jump. "It will be tough because it's a new category anyway, with people who will already have a year's experience, not all of them of course because there are people coming from F4, but the reference ones already have a year's experience," comments Antonelli, who however also adds: "If we work well we can get the same results [as last year].

It will obviously be difficult to repeat the 2022 season again next year, but Antonelli and Prema are ambitious and do not set themselves any limits: "The aim is, as always, to try to win." This first season in the new category will also be very important for the young Italian driver's growth and development, as he explains. "However, I think it is also important to learn, to gain even more experience and learn even more, on and off the track," are Antonelli's words about his goals for the 2023 season.

Pressures and expectations

Precisely 2023 will be a big test for Antonelli also from the point of view of managing emotions and pressure, which he admits is sometimes his weak point. "Before the races I was very tense and I didn't drive smoothly, maybe even making mistakes that could cost me dearly," he says, referring to the start of last season, but he also adds that experience plays a fundamental role in knowing how to handle this type of situation: "I believe that experience helps you a lot and, in any case, after a while of racing against the same opponents, you get to know them and so when you go out on the track you know what to expect. He, therefore, hopes that this will also be the case for the new season.

Speaking of pressure, and expectations, there are many, especially in Italy, who expect Antonelli to make it to Formula 1, which is also his dream. "I am aware that there are a lot of people who have a lot of good expectations of me, but I try not to think about it too much. I try to think mainly about doing what I have to do to get the best possible result." There are still some steps to be taken, but at sixteen Antonelli has plenty of time to fulfil his dream and make thousands of fans happy. "It would be nice to be the next Italian in F1.