Andrea Kimi Antonelli made F1 history in Canada with his first podium, igniting hopes of a maiden win and Italian resurgence.
At just 18 years old, Andrea Kimi Antonelli became the third-youngest driver in history to step onto a Formula 1 podium — yesterday, in Canada.
The Mercedes F1 driver admitted he badly needed this result after a tough triple-header where he completely struggled, especially at his home race in Imola.
“This meant a lot, especially after a sequence of three tough races for me,” he confirmed again in the press conference last night in the Montreal paddock.
“I had clearly lost a bit of confidence, but this is the best way to bounce back.”
Toward the end of the race, the young Andrea Kimi Antonelli also had to resist pressure from Oscar Piastri in a McLaren F1 that seemed slightly faster.
“I was just hoping for the race to end, to be honest. I was even looking at the screen to count the laps, because it was very stressful.”
“In the final stint, I pushed a bit too hard behind Max and ended up degrading the front left.”
“The last few laps were a real struggle, especially seeing Oscar getting closer and closer in the DRS zone.”
“He even tried a move into Turn 1. It took a lot of effort.”
An Antonelli on the rise?
Is a new Andrea Kimi Antonelli about to emerge and deliver a spectacular second half of the season? Just how much of a boost will this podium give the Mercedes F1 rookie?
“Yes, without a doubt this will give me a boost. I’m aware there’s still a lot of work to do, especially in qualifying, to try to be quicker at the start of the session.”
“But we’re on the right track. The team is doing an excellent job.”
“George is also helping push me further. There’s a very good dynamic in the team. Hopefully, we can maintain this momentum.”
Can Andrea Kimi Antonelli reflect on the emotions of his first podium? A unique and magical moment, one can imagine…
“It was much better than I imagined. Hearing the crowd as I stepped onto the podium gave me goosebumps.”
“It’s truly a moment I’ll remember. It gives you momentum.”
“Results like this and that feeling… you can’t buy that feeling. It’s an incredible sensation and you just want more.”
“The goal is to try to keep the same momentum and aim for more podiums, and with a bit of luck, maybe the first win — you never know.”
Andrea Kimi Antonelli also made history for his country, as the first Italian driver on the podium in 16 years (Trulli, 2009), and in Montreal, where there’s a large community of Italian origin.
“It’s obviously a great feeling to be the new Italian on the podium. The next goal is to win, to bring Italy back to the top.”
“This result was needed. It’s also for all the Italian Tifosi.”
“Imola was an incredible weekend for me in terms of support. It didn’t go as well as I wanted, but seeing so much encouragement is amazing.”
“So this result is also for them (for my fans).”