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Kimi Antonelli has expressed his hope to one day enjoy the same level of fan support as Valentino Rossi, even long after his career concludes.
Rossi last competed on two wheels in 2021, bringing an end to a glittering career that established him as one of motorsport's most iconic figures. He remains incredibly popular, with fans still frequently wearing his merchandise at races, and his emblematic No. 46 continues to be seen even half a decade after his retirement.
In contrast, Antonelli is the most successful Italian Formula 1 driver since 1953 and is only in his second season, yet he is on the cusp of becoming the youngest world champion in history at just 20 years old. Should he surpass Sebastian Vettel's 2010 record, Antonelli would be the first Italian to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
The Mercedes driver spoke about his admiration for the bond between Rossi and his fans – something he aspires to achieve one day.
"Very often, he won races before even stepping onto the track," Antonelli told Automoto Italia about the 89-time premier class winner, Rossi. "He was mentally very strong. It would be great to experience that feeling. As an athlete, Vale was very complete, very fast, very strong in races, especially on weekends that seemed difficult, when he started from the back and managed to catch up.""And he managed to attract a huge audience. Even today, you can see people wearing his merchandise at MotoGP races, even though he no longer competes.""It would be wonderful to recreate the same effect in Formula 1: the respect, the support, the applause. That's something truly beautiful."
Antonelli is also close friends with current Aprilia MotoGP star Marco Bezzecchi and other Italian sporting greats, including long jumper Mattia Furlani, who won gold at the 2025 World Championships, and the current men's world number one tennis player, five-time Grand Slam champion Jannik Sinner. Given the high-pressure environments they all compete in, Antonelli discussed the positives of having such friends in elite sports.
"It's wonderful to have athlete friends who compete at the highest level, who understand what it means to manage pressure, the moments before a race when you need your own space," Antonelli said. "I'm also very close with Mattia Furlani, whom I met in Monza. It's good to have such connections because they give you extra motivation to do even better. I'm happy to see them win, and I'd like to do the same, if not better. Although, doing better than Sinner is tough.""I consider Bezzecchi one of my best friends. We support each other, and when I can, I go to his races. When we're home, we go out for dinner together, and our friend groups have merged. What he does is truly insane," the Mercedes driver concluded.
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