What did Antonelli do last weekend? It is unusual that no one has told the story of the world championship leader in the last few days, after a couple of months, and with full justification, Andrea Kimi has been in the eye of the storm, followed by lenses, cameras, cell phones. Finally Antonelli should – we hypothesize – have enjoyed a few days of complete freedom, alone or with whoever he wanted, without the hassle of having to answer questions and without smiling out of courtesy. His real problem today is represented by his kindness and/or availability, which make him an atypical object in the microcosm of Formula 1. He, Leclerc, Sainz and a few others never hold back due to an innate predisposition for education and closeness with people. A beautiful thing full of pitfalls if you don’t manage it sparingly. Toto Wolff, in recent weeks, has repeated several times that he fears the invasiveness of Italians towards a new and already loved idol, who has the natural tendency to indulge, to show a human face that pleases and generates esteem, tenderness, affection. It hadn’t happened for a long time, there was a desire to identify with a positive character even in the often cold panorama of Formula 1. Antonelli, with his light, slightly disarming smile, knows how to make himself loved. But Toto Wolff don’t worry: in our country, car support is not as oppressive as football support. Perhaps it will become so if Andrea Kimi continues to dominate as is desirable, but not a given. In some way, he has already won his world championship regardless, because before the championship started no one could bet on three successes in the second F1 season. What will arrive from Canada onwards will already be something more, even if the haters are always ready to hit anyone at the first stumble or setback. This is not what Antonelli has to fear, although expectations are growing, because the mere fact that Wolff is concerned about protecting him from excessive outcry is proof of the respect he has earned at Mercedes, where everyone has understood that he is the man (!) to focus on for the future. A successful gamble for Toto, with the same Mercedes executives who were ready to shower him with criticism in the event of the operation’s failure. Antonelli, however, must take into account the fact that he is floating in a Ferrari context in which, covertly, he is considered an “enemy”. There is a red tradition in our country that cannot be escaped. Riccardo Patrese was ungenerously booed in 1983, when he was deservedly winning the San Marino Grand Prix in Imola and by a twist of fate he ended up off the track, leaving the success to Tambay and Ferrari. TV audiences and other media indicators say that Andrea Kimi’s triumphs are not yet worth, numerically, like those of the Cavallino. It may be a matter of time. On the other hand, many wonder why Antonelli isn’t behind the wheel of a Ferrari. And in this case we must admit his real luck was precisely that of not having ended up in Maranello’s orbit (no one, at the time, understood its value), because today he would find himself in some corner of endurance racing or relegated to obscure work on the simulator. Then imagine what phenomenon would have occurred if an Italian, in a Ferrari, had won three grand prix in a row: Antonelli would no longer have had a chance, he would have had to take refuge who knows where, to have a moment of peace. The fact that he drives a Mercedes, beyond the great prestige, protects him from a wave of excesses and exaggerations. The important thing for him is that he can now continue to carve out segments of tranquility, silence, normal hobbies with normal people and that he slowly begins to measure his appearances (including social ones) only to what is absolutely essential for work or for the occasions to which his heart drives him. You imitate in some way your friend-fan Jannick Sinner, who knows how to manage distances without giving up spontaneity and kindness. Antonelli must protect himself and be protected with the same courtesy with which he has offered himself up to now: sacrifices, indispensable for those who have a beautiful future ahead of them. Click here to add Formula Passion as your favorite source on Google Discover: you will find our content more easily!
2026-05-12 15:00:00
