Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli has opened up on how he honoured his “racing hero” and Formula 1 icon Ayrton Senna prior to the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
In just his first year in one of the most competitive motorsport series, Antonelli has already been touted as one of F1’s next big things.
And ahead of the race weekend at Interlagos, the young Italian took the time to respect the three-time F1 champion who played a pivotal role in his racing journey.
Antonelli revealed that he spent a quiet day visiting Senna’s grave at the Morumbi Cemetery in Sao Paulo, describing the moment as deeply personal and peaceful.
“Yeah, it was a really cool experience,” Antonelli told media including Motorsport Week.
“Ayrton is my racing hero. And yesterday I had a lot of time on my hands and I said, why not. It was very close to my hotel, so I decided to run once, I decided to go in the morning.”
Importantly for Antonelli, the visit wasn’t a public gesture or even a media commitment. Rather, it was something that the 19-year-old felt drawn to do.
“But then I also went in the afternoon, because I found a really quiet place, very peaceful.
“So in the afternoon I just decided to go there this time just with my coach, and we were reading a book and spent some time in this quiet place. I really wanted to go and say hi to him.”
Senna’s lasting legacy in F1
The Mercedes rookie also took the time to discuss his long-standing admiration for the late racer. Antonelli explained that long before he was affiliated with F1, Senna was always his inspiration. Growing up in Italy, Antonelli’s earliest exposure to the Brazilian legend came through his father’s old race DVDs.
“With my dad, obviously, when I was little, we used to go through a lot of DVDs about the old F1 races from the ’90s all the way to the 2000s,” Antonelli explained.
“And definitely Ayrton was the driver who stood out among them all. Not only because of the driver he was, but also for the personality that he had on and off track. So definitely he became my inspiration.”
Despite never seeing the Brazilian legend race live prior to his tragic death in 1994, Antonelli is an example of how Senna’s influence is still alive in a modern era of F1.
“Of course, I would have loved to see him in real life, racing in real life,” he admitted.
“But still, you know, despite watching him only from DVDs and videos, I still got very passionate about him.”
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