Kimi Antonelli has addressed speculation of a potential future move to Ferrari, saying ahead of the Italian GP that he is ‘very happy’ at Mercedes.
Antonelli comes to his home race in Monza leading the Driver’s Championship, 59 points clear of teammate George Russell. The 20-year-old also comes in with a grid penalty hanging over his head, as he is set to start at the back of the grid after exceeding engine component limits.
Regardless, the hoards of passionate Italian fans will be pleased to see the championship lead by one of their own, even if he isn’t driving for Ferrari.
Naturally, the speculation about a potential Ferrari move in the future has only increased with Antonelli’s mounting success in 2026.
“Yeah, of course,” Antonelli replied when he was asked if he has accepted that he will likely be linked to Ferrari throughout his career.
“Being an Italian myself, I know how emotional we are and how excited we can get about things. Sometimes overly excited.
“So, of course there will always be this kind of talk.
“But at the end of the day, as much as Ferrari is massive, incredible brand, I’m very happy where I am. I’m very happy with Mercedes because they’re the one who gave me the opportunity since I was a kid, and I feel like I have so much to give back to them.”
Grid penalty ‘helps’ the home race pressure
Antonelli will start at the back in Sunday’s race with a new power unit fitted in his W17. Though he admits he would rather be fighting for pole and a win in front of his home crowd, he acknowledged that the penalty will help take a bit of pressure off the weekend. It also leaves Mercedes with more room to experiment with different set-ups in practice.
“I think in some ways it helps to relieve pressure,” Antonelli said.
“Although, I’d very much rather fight for pole and start at the front, but in some ways I feel like it makes me a bit more relaxed going into the weekend.
“And I think that’s why I’m going to be able to enjoy the driving more and the weekend itself.
“Of couse, it’s a different opportunity, it’s an opportunity to try something different during the weekend, different work method as well, in free practice especially because we have the chance to do so.”
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