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Nine years ago, Andrea Kimi Antonelli's path could have crossed with Ferrari. At the time, then-team principal Maurizio Arrivabene hesitated to invest in the 11-year-old karting talent, and Mercedes jumped at the opportunity. Today, as Antonelli establishes himself as a generational prodigy, former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is convinced that a future union between the Italian driver and the Scuderia is inevitable.
"Ferrari has no choice; they simply have to sign him. Kimi's heart beats for Italy, and if he continues to win—which I am completely confident he will—he will join Ferrari out of pure love for his homeland," Ecclestone told F1-Insider.
Ecclestone's praise extends well beyond patriotic sentiment. In an interview with RacingNews365, he drew direct parallels between Antonelli and Max Verstappen, highlighting that the young Italian shares the same relentless drive for victory.
"I was hoping Kimi or Max would win. Although I don't know him as well as Max, I believe he will become the next Verstappen. He wants to win and will do so at all costs. He is just like him in that he gets into the car with only one thought in his mind—victory."
The 96-year-old motorsport veteran expressed genuine admiration for the youngster's potential and stressed that his best is still to come. According to Ecclestone, facing adversity will be crucial to building the mental toughness required to dominate at the pinnacle of motorsport.
"We haven't seen the best of him yet. We're going to be surprised by just how good he can become. In two or three years, he will be the new Max. He needs to go through a few tough moments to build a resilient character. And given his young age, he could easily rewrite all the record books."
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