Antonelli's Discoverer Sues Him for Millions

Andrea Kimi Antonelli's discoverer, Giovanni Minardi, is suing his former client after their collaboration ended in 2025.

It was the younger Minardi who took charge of Antonelli's career development through his own management agency, and he was instrumental in opening the doors to Formula 1 and Mercedes for the Italian driver.

Giancarlo Minardi secured Antonelli an opportunity to join Ferrari's young driver program, but then-Scuderia boss Maurizio Arrivabene rejected Andrea, deeming him "too young." This proved to be another one of the former Scuderia chief's less-than-prescient decisions.

Giovanni, son of the legendary Giancarlo Minardi, has supported Antonelli since he was 8 years old, starting from his karting days. He played a crucial role in the Italian joining Mercedes' junior program in 2019.

However, a problem arose when Mercedes stated their desire to manage Antonelli's career directly, leading to his swift separation from Minardi. It is now expected that Toto Wolff and former program head Gwen Lagrue, who has since moved to Red Bull, will be called as witnesses in Minardi's lawsuit for unpaid commissions and fees.