Antonelli ready to ‘shine under pressure’ as Italy’s 73-year F1 title wait continues

Kimi Antonelli has admitted there is “extra pressure” that comes with being an Italian Formula 1 driver, but says he is trying to embrace it rather than treat it as a burden.

The young Italian is one of the most talked-about talents in motorsport and carries the attention of a country that has been waiting a long time for a new Formula 1 hero. In an interview with sponsors SAP, Antonelli was asked about the significance of the number 73. At first, he was unsure what it referred to.

“Ooh, 73. Yes. What are your thoughts? What do you think that could be?” he was asked. “I don’t know. I need a clue,” Antonelli replied.

The clue was then given: 73 years since Italy last had a Formula 1 world champion. The reference was to Alberto Ascari, who remains the last Italian driver to win the Drivers’ Championship. Ascari won the title in 1952 and 1953, and his name still carries huge significance in Italian motorsport history.

When the connection was made clear, Antonelli quickly understood the weight of the question. “Oh! Italian driver. Since the last Italian world champion, Alberto Ascari. Yeah, of course. Okay, okay,” he said.

The subject immediately underlines the scale of expectation surrounding Antonelli. Italy has Ferrari, Monza, Imola, a passionate fanbase and one of Formula 1’s richest histories. Yet despite that heritage, the country has not produced a drivers’ world champion for more than seven decades. For any Italian driver reaching Formula 1, that statistic is impossible to ignore.

Antonelli acknowledged that the pressure is real, particularly because Italian fans are known for their passion and high expectations and says he is trying to find the right balance.

“Of course, being Italian, Italy has been missing an Italian driver for quite a long time,” Antonelli said. “And also knowing myself, because I’m Italian, we know how, as Italians, we can get very excited about things and how expectation can get over the moon.”

That excitement can become a double-edged sword. On one hand, Antonelli has the support of a nation eager to see an Italian succeed again at the highest level. On the other, that same excitement can create pressure long before a driver has had time to fully establish himself in Formula 1.

Antonelli did not deny that. Instead, he said he sees it as part of the challenge. “Obviously, that comes with a bit of extra pressure,” he admitted. “But I’ve been enjoying it.”

Rather than distancing himself from the expectations, Antonelli appears determined to meet them head-on. He explained that his approach is to change the way he views pressure, turning it into motivation rather than allowing it to become a negative force.

“I think what I’ve been trying to do as well is to embrace the pressure and trying to actually shine under pressure,” he said.

For a driver at the beginning of his Formula 1 journey, that mindset could prove vital. The attention around him is already intense, and it will only increase if he begins producing standout performances. Every result will be examined closely, not just because of his own potential, but because of what he represents for Italian motorsport. Antonelli, however, believes pressure can be a sign of opportunity.

“I’ve been seeing it as a positive thing rather than a negative,” he added. “I feel like when you’re under pressure, it means you know that you can do something very good. And if you do so, it’s very satisfying as well.”

That attitude may be exactly what Antonelli needs as he steps into one of the most demanding environments in world sport. The history of Italian Formula 1 success is both inspiring and heavy, and Ascari’s legacy still casts a long shadow.

But Antonelli is not trying to escape that history. He is trying to use it. For Italy, the wait for another Formula 1 world champion has lasted 73 years. For Antonelli, that pressure is not something to fear but rather it is something to embrace.