Andrea Kimi Antonelli: My Greatest Influences

Andrea Kimi Antonelli is Formula 1-bound in 2025 with Mercedes, and the Italian knows that he has been on a special journey to reach such a point in his career.
From his very beginnings in motorsport, through to understanding how a legend forged his own path and his own personal route through the ranks with PREMA Racing, Antonelli details who has impacted him the most in his career.
Ayrton Senna
“He’s my idol. I didn’t get to see him racing with my own eyes during my life, but I’ve seen videos and through that, I could understand how special he was. That’s why he’s my role model. He always got the best out of what he was doing, trying to learn as much as possible so through those videos, he’s become my inspiration.
“I think Donington 1993 when he won the race in the wet, almost lapping everyone. Then there’s also the Monaco lap. Or Jerez where he had two cars in front of him and had to avoid them but still put the car on pole. Spa when he jumped out the car to turn off the engine because he saw the driver wasn’t conscious. He was really special.
“He wasn’t afraid to show his origins. Brazil was in a difficult situation in those years, but he was always proud to be a Brazilian and show that.
“He’s not only a good driver but also a person. He was a really empathetic person. My dream is to reach F1 and to achieve a little part of what he achieved during his career. So he’s my first influence and inspiration.”
Parents
“I wouldn’t be here without them. There are a lot of people that are involved in the process and are helping me, but they are the main ones. First of all, the introduced me into the world of motorsport and helped me overcome every difficult situation since.
“This year, for the first half of the season, my dad has always been beside me because it’s really important to have him here, he’s a really strong figure for me and I have that really good connection with him. “He’s helping me when I’m a bit nervous and helping me to stay calm.
READ MORE: Motorsport passion, work ethic and Cars: Getting to know Andrea Kimi Antonelli
“My mum always used to bring me to the races, she’s been through those really tough moments and always been there for me as well, so I’m really grateful to them as without them, I wouldn’t be where I am now.
“Not only because they’ve helped me develop myself as a driver, but as a person as well. They’ve taught me to always stay humble and work really hard because things never come easy. You have to work hard to achieve them. So, they’re a big influence on me.”
Mercedes & PREMA Racing
“They’re like my second family. I think because I spend the most time with them at the track, I have a really good connection with both teams, PREMA and Mercedes.
“They’re really helping me especially this year with the hype around. They’ve helped me stay focused, tune out that hype or turn it down a bit and I’m really happy. Despite that hype, they’re helping me because they really believe in me, and they have given me a lot of strength.
“I know this chance, I fought for the good results and because of their support, I’m able to go to the track and just give my best, because they fully believe in me and are aware of what I’m able to do.
“They make me feel as comfortable as possible and that helps me to perform at the best I can and in the best way possible.”