Kimi Antonelli superstar: F1 hails him, MotoGP applauds him

Everyone’s crazy about Kimi Antonelli. After his first historic Formula 1 victory, countless people congratulated him. Jannik Sinner dedicated his Indian Wells triumph to him, and practically all the Italian riders in the Motorcycle World Championship—and beyond—sent him their compliments.

The kid from Bologna is adored—madly so—for his teary eyes after the race, his humility, his sweetness, and of course his talent. Ducati posted a photo of Andrea Kimi Antonelli as a child. The bond between the Formula 1 rising star and motorcycling has always been strong. After all, he was born in Bologna and grew up between Emilia and Romagna, where passion is in the air everywhere. His father, Marco, has had a company in the Republic of San Marino for many years, where riders are at home. And Kimi has always spent time on the Titan, just as he’s always gone to various little tracks—and above all to Misano.

Being from Bologna, he is of course deeply connected to Ducati as well. The Reds are part of the motorsport landscape he grew up in—the same environment that has produced riders and technicians capable of switching smoothly between cars and bikes. The support and admiration for Andrea Kimi Antonelli have united two rival manufacturers. Aprilia, in fact, also officially congratulated him—and it couldn’t have been otherwise. Massimo Rivola began his career in the Minardi marketing department before moving to Ferrari. And let’s remember, Kimi Antonelli’s first true talent scout was Giovanni Minardi, the son of the former Formula 1 team boss. Rivola has known Kimi since he was a child and has always held him in high esteem.

There is also a very strong bond with Valentino Rossi, who spoke words of great admiration for the young Bolognese talent. Rossi, a lifelong car enthusiast and now a full-time GT driver, has known Kimi for years, has lapped with him in karts, and has invited him on various occasions to the Ranch. Although Antonelli has a well-defined identity of his own—quite distant from that of the ace from Tavullia—the comparison with Rossi is inevitable in terms of charisma and screen presence, even if in a different way.

Valentino, as a youngster, was a bit of a “show-off,” as they say in Romagna—extroverted and unconventional—whereas Antonelli is the classic good kid who balanced school and sport: the son every mother would love to have.

Among the champions who congratulated the Mercedes driver were also Andrea Iannone, Pecco Bagnaia, Marco Bezzecchi, and many others.