© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Kimi Antonelli has attended the 2025 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Thursday Drivers’ Press Conference. Here is the full transcript!
Kimi can we start with you. A good omen coming into your home race with Bologna winning the cup last night and I gather you were out celebrating last night as well?
Kimi ANTONELLI: Yeah, it was good fun. Last night there was a game and we won. The city went pretty crazy. I was out there as well, but not for long though because I still had to come to the track this morning. But like everyone was sounding the klaxons on the street, it like, going crazy. It was good fun. I enjoyed it.
Q: On track, this is the first time in four years that the Italian fans have had one of their own to cheer on at an Italian Formula 1 race. Just what does it mean to you to be driving in a home race in Formula 1?
KA: Well, for sure it feels amazing. I think this one is my proper home race because, of course, we have Monza as well, but I live probably 30 minutes away from the track [here]. So I would say it is my proper home. I’m really excited. I really like the track as well. I think it’s a really challenging track, old-school. It’s really good fun to drive around here. And yeah, of course, I feel this weekend is going to be a special one, especially racing in front of all the Italian fans, my family, and friends. So it’s going to be intense as well. But yeah, really excited to hit the track tomorrow and see what we can do.
Q: Do you think we’re going to see more Kimi Antonelli flags or Ferrari flags this weekend?
KA: Well, I don’t know. Hopefully more Kimi Antonelli! But yeah, Ferrari is so big that it would be a bit ambitious to see more of my flags. But I would not complain.
Q: What about on-track performance? The Sprint pole obviously in Miami — just how much confidence do you have in the car now?
KA: Well, definitely a lot more than I had in Melbourne. Just getting at east with the car and understanding the tyres as well. I think where I made a really big step was trying to extract the best out of the tyre and trying to put them in a more decent window for the lap. Miami was a really good step because Sprint qualif was great. The actual qualifying was still good because we were still up there. That definitely gave me a boost of confidence. The race didn’t go as I wanted, but it didn’t hurt my confidence. Now that we’re into the European season — definitely tracks that I know much better — definitely the approach will be different. I can focus a lot on driving, but also I can focus more on trying to give the best advice about the car to the engineers in order to improve and progress even more during the weekend. So definitely really excited to start the European season.
Q: Have you dared to dream of a first Formula 1 podium at home?
KA: I should ask him, but in the family, we’re very superstitious, so we don’t really talk about this stuff. I mean, Also, Miami. I’ll make an example. I was really excited and actually thinking about the podium, and then the races went terribly wrong — both in the Sprint and the long race. So we’re a very superstitious family and we just take it step by step. Of course, sometimes it happens to think it would be amazing to get a podium, especially at the home race, and that’s for sure the goal. To step on the podium would be the ultimate goal. Of course I want to win, but looking at it in a more realistic way, I think doing a podium here would be the dream and that’s what I’m really going to push for.
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QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Mara Sangirogio – Sky Sports Italy) A question to Kimi. You were just talking about victory and podium, but what are you missing as a team to win this year?
KA: Well, I don’t feel like I’m in the position to just… because I’ve so much to learn still on my side. I feel like as a team we’re doing a great job. The car has been consistent every weekend and that allows us to build the confidence. Of course, the gap to McLaren is still big. I mean, Miami was the real picture of the situation. McLaren were flying during the race and it was impossible to catch for anyone else. So I think as a team, we’re really trying to work hard to improve on our limitations. Again this weekend we will have a few updates on the car and hopefully that will help us to make a step forward and to keep working. I’ve been at the factory as well in the past few days and it’s really exciting to see how much the team is motivated and how hard they’re working. So we’re all aligned on where we need to improve and that’s what we’re trying to do.
Q: (Craig Slater – Sky Sports) Another one for Kimi. It’s your home race — I’m sure there’s a lot of attention on you, family and friends attending. How are you protecting your energy levels and keeping a clear head for the action on track?
KA: Yeah, I mean that’s a good question actually. This weekend is going to be emotionally and mentally draining — home race in front of the Italian fans, and as I said, my family and friends will be attending. So it’s going to be really important to manage the energy, especially in those moments where I can, and not waste energy on things that are not useful. It’s going to be important to stay on top of that because it’s really easy to hit the bottom of the pack before the end of the weekend. Already a normal weekend is very tiring and draining, so this is like double. Of course I’m going to try to protect myself. The fact that I’ve got really good people around me really helps. We’re all aligned that this weekend is going to be tough. We’re preparing and I think we’re quite well prepared. At the end of the day, it’s another race weekend, but because of the circumstances it’s going to be different. At the same time, it’s going to be really exciting. I think the energy is going to be amazing and that can be used to do even better on track. Really looking forward to see how we go this weekend.
Q: (Harry Benjamin – Sky Sports F1) A question for Kimi. I believe this is the first weekend you’ve had a proper chance to read the note that Lewis Hamilton left for you last year in the drivers’ room. I know you don’t want to go into the specifics, but what was the feeling reading it, and how much does it mean to you that Lewis took the time to leave you a message?
KA: Well, I think — you know, maybe you guys cannot see — but I think it says a lot about how Lewis is as a person. I could see a lot of the human side of Lewis, not only the driver. Reading the message, it fulfilled my heart to receive such a message from such a figure in the sport. He has done so much and he’s still right there giving his best. He’s one of the best in history. To receive such a message is amazing. It also contained some advice, and I use it as motivation as well to go out there and do my best — because it doesn’t happen every day.
Q: Will you keep the letter?
KA: Yeah, it’s actually on my wall. I’ll keep it there. The message is so nice that I just want to leave it there. Every time I enter the room, I can see it. It’s a really good reminder.
Q: (Margot Laffite – Canal+) A question for Kimi. How do you manage your life as an F1 driver while still studying? Do you physically go to school? What exams are you preparing for?
KA: Well, I’m not able to attend school, but I’m trying to study as much as I can, especially in those little moments I have free. I’m getting help from the school as well to try and catch up because I’ve definitely missed a lot of work during this time. But it’s not easy, because that also takes energy and effort. Especially ahead of such an important weekend, it’s really important to manage that side, not to do too much in order to save energy. But yeah, whenever I’m home or have a bit of time off, I try to do a little bit just to keep active and catch up as much as possible.
Q: (Nelson Valkenburg – ViaPlay) A follow-up for Kimi. Circling back to school — did I see your entire class earlier in the paddock today? Is that the best way to be the favourite student? Also, how important is it for you that this race stays on the calendar as a home race?
KA: Yeah, I organised this — thanks also to some people at Mercedes. Rosa [Herrera Venegas], who’s in the room as well, helped. We were able to organise this for the school. I think it’s a good way for them to see with their own eyes this world. They used to watch the races on TV, but didn’t actually know what’s going on behind it. I think it’s a really good experience and I really hope they enjoy it. We’ve organised some activities — later on I’ll show them the car and explain a bit, without going too much into detail. It’s a good way to keep the relationship because I don’t spend much time at home, so I don’t see them often. These little things can make the difference. About the race — yeah, I would love for it to stay on the calendar. It’s such a unique track. As I said before, it’s technical, it not easy, especially over one lap, to put everything together. It’s old school, quite bumpy. All things that make it special. The history of this track is incredible. Definitely I would love if there were the chance for the track to stay on the calendar next year and for the next few years of course.
Q: (Alejandro Alonso Lopez – Diariomotor.com) Question to Kimi. Earlier you said that you were working to extract the best out of the tyres. At this point of the season, what would you say are your strengths and weaknesses, or the things that you still need to work on more?
KA: Well, that’s an interesting question. I think Miami was good because, for the first time this season, I felt like I could get up to speed with the track much quicker than I did in previous races. That’s something I’m looking to do more in the next few races, even at tracks I know. Being able to start off with the right pace and close to the limit can really help the rest of the weekend. One of my strengths in Miami was the fact that I could adapt well to the track, quickly. Weaknesses — I wouldn’t really call it a weak point — but something I’ve been struggling with is being able to put the whole weekend together. As Liam said before, there are so many variables in F1, so many things you need to take into account. It’s really hard to put together the whole weekend consistently – from FP1 all the way to the race. Every little detail can make such a difference, especially on the tyres. A few degrees in qualifying can be the difference between a good lap and not. Even in the race, if you push too much at the beginning, you can get massively penalised at the end of the sprint.
So something I’m trying to work on is having a better understanding and being able to put the whole weekend together. This year, so far, when I was doing a bad quali, the race was going well. But when I did a good quali, like in Miami, the race wasn’t as good. So that is the main point to work on at the moment.
Q: (Adam Cooper – Adamcooperf1.com) Question for Kimi. I’m sure most of us in this room have seen your Netflix documentary. What do you think of the final version? Is it an accurate portrayal of your story and who you are? And what sort of reaction have you had from it?
KA: Yeah, I’m happy with how it came out in the end. I think it was a good experience to do, also because I could see with my own eyes a completely new world — to see what goes on behind producing a movie. Of course, it was not a proper movie, but we could see how much work there was behind every scene. It was fascinating and a good experience. I’m super happy that people liked it. At the end of the day, it’s just to show how motorsport is, how tough it can be, and how much work it takes to get to the top level. For people who don’t really know the journey it takes to get to F1, I think it’s a good opportunity to have a better understanding. You start from very little in karting, then move up, and it doesn’t always work out — for many reasons. You also have to be lucky, like in my case, to get such an opportunity. To get into an Academy first and then to drive in F1. I feel very lucky and very privileged to have had the opportunity back in 2018 when I was 11 and I got into the Academy, and then to get the seat for this year — it shows you also need to be lucky, of course. But at the same time, results speak for themselves and performance does everything.
Q: (Leovid Kliuev – GrandePrêmio.com.br) Question for everyone: wouldn’t it be cool to have a LEGO race before each main race each weekend? What do you think?
KA: I think it would be cool, but I don’t know how much it would cost to the Lego guys.
Liam LAWSON: I felt really bad actually. Did you see how much time it took to build those cars? 22,000 hours.
KA: Oh my God, yeah!
Esteban OCON: I don’t think the repair is going to take too long. You just need to stick a few bits on the back.
LL: That’s true. Front wing and some wheels maybe!
EO: I asked the technical people, and they said they have in the pipeline to make a quicker version of it. This would be very interesting.
KA: It was so funny — they told us we couldn’t bang wheels or anything, and of course, first corner…
LL: I don’t know what they were expecting!
KA: …And the thing was just going 20 kph — if they actually make some faster ones…
EO: That would be funny.
KA: That would be interesting.
EO: We might need to wear helmets and seatbelts — becomes an F1 race then!
KA: Yeah, especially for the guy standing at the top — it’d be quite a thing for him.
LL: I thought it was awesome, honestly.
EO: Honestly, it was the most fun I’ve had in any driver’s parade. And I think for the fans it was awesome. Imagine that in Mexico, for example — in the stadium. That would be epic.
Q: (Diletta Colombo – AutoMoto) Question for Kimi. You said before that your schoolmates are here — your friends, your family. Does it still feel surreal to race as a Formula 1 driver in a race so close to your hometown?
KA: Yeah, I mean it does feel real, definitely. It took me a little bit to realise this moment — that for the first time, I will be racing in F1 at my home race. At the same time, it’s super exciting. As I said, the energy is going to be incredible, especially to see so many Italian fans. At the end of the session I’ll have a proper look around and probably give a little wave to everyone because it’s so important to have such support. It can really help and motivate you to go on track and do even better. I could already feel, from the beginning of the year, so much support from Italians. It’s just growing even more. I’m super happy about that. I definitely couldn’t have asked for more. I think it would be really good to do a strong result also for all of them — for everyone coming to the weekend and taking time out of their day to attend the race. It would be a good thing to do a strong weekend — for myself, for the team, but also for them.
Source: FIA.com
