P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Andrea Kimi Antonelli doesn’t feel the Tifosi’s support of Ferrari has impacted the enthusiasm for his debut F1 season with Mercedes.
Antonelli, aged 18, stepped into the vacant spot at Mercedes following Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, where he has been generating excitement among the fans. Ferrari has historically enjoyed strong support from the passionate Tifosi, akin to a national football team’s following. Despite the long absence of Italian F1 champions and successful Italian GP drivers, Antonelli’s debut might be overshadowed by the Tifosi’s focus on Ferrari this season. Nonetheless, Antonelli expressed feeling a lot of home support ahead of his F1 debut and is looking forward to racing at Imola and Monza with enthusiasm. As the 2025 F1 season commences, Antonelli remains grounded in managing his expectations as he starts his rookie season in F1 with a focus on the process and improving consistently.
