Antonelli tests Ferrari’s hold over Italian F1 fandom at Monza
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli arrives at the Italian Grand Prix as some younger fans embrace Mercedes’ Italian driver while Ferrari loyalty remains deeply entrenched.
Kimi Antonelli’s championship campaign is testing Ferrari’s traditional grip on Italian Formula 1 support ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
The Mercedes driver leads the standings by 59 points after six wins this season, but will start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid after taking a new power unit. Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc remain popular among the team’s supporters.
BBC Sport’s reporting from Monza found signs that Antonelli, particularly among younger fans, is creating space for a different kind of Italian allegiance. Some supporters back the 20-year-old despite his Mercedes seat, while others remain firmly committed to Ferrari.
The divide reflects Italy’s long association with the Scuderia. Ferrari’s last drivers’ championship came through Kimi Räikkönen in 2007, while Alberto Ascari remains Italy’s most recent Formula 1 world champion, having won in 1952 and 1953.
Antonelli has been a Mercedes protege since the age of 11 and joined its Formula 1 team in 2025. His progress has also raised the possibility that, if he wins the title, he could become the youngest world champion in the sport’s history.
For now, his championship lead must be measured against the grid penalty and Ferrari’s enduring place in Italian motorsport culture. BBC Sport’s interviews suggest Monza could bring both loyalties together, rather than settle them.
