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Is Kimi Antonelli Ferrari’s Next Big Hope? Mercedes’ Italian Star Sparks Big Rumours With Dream Start to F1 2026 Season

By Samira Vishwas

After Kimi Antonelli’s stunning start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, the 19-year-old has become one of the biggest talking points in the sport. The young Italian grabbed his maiden win at the Chinese Grand Prix, becoming the first Italian in nearly a decade to win a race. And that has naturally led to one big question, would Ferrari want an Italian talent like him in their team? Because they are waiting for someone to end their own title drought since 2008. And, the fact that before Mercedes Kimi had contacted Ferrari first when he was 11 years old, gives fans something to talk about.

Before Antonelli, the last Italian to win an F1 race was Giancarlo Fisichella back in 2006 at the Malaysian Grand Prix. The Mercedes young talent Antonelli has already gone one better by becoming the second-youngest race winner in F1 history, just behind Max Verstappen.

In Shanghai, he proved that he is not chasing the chequrerd flag, he is chasing history. Last Saturday he added another record to his name by taking pole position, becoming the youngest ever to do so.

At the same time, Ferrari are still chasing a return to the top. They haven’t won a drivers’ title since the Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen did in 2007. The Italian manufacturers’ 2026 season has been decent so far, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton regularly finishing near the podium. but it hasn’t quite looked like a title-winning campaign yet.

Also Read: F1 2026: Can Max Verstappen Replace George Russell at Mercedes? Exit Clause Twist Explained

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025 was meant to change that. After leaving Mercedes, where he spent over a decade, he joined Ferrari hoping to win an eighth world title. But things haven’t fully clicked so far, and with him already 41, time is not exactly on his side. At the Australian Grand Prix 2026 the Monegasque claimed the podium, in Shanghai Hamilton ended his podium drought. Both, were beaten by Mercedes’ George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, and ofcourse the better strategy of the German manufacturers.

That leaves Ferrari thinking about the future. Leclerc is still searching for his first title, and the team may soon need a fresh face to build around. That’s where Antonelli comes in. Italian media have already started linking him to Ferrari, and the idea of seeing an Italian driver in red again is something fans would love.

Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari Once Had a Chat

After showing his brilliance in Shanghai, Antonelli in his latest interview with Sports Media Set revealed something big, that he had reached the Italian manufacturers first when he was starting his motorsports career. “I had contact with Ferrari,” Antonelli said. “I was 10 or 11 at the time, but in the end, Mercedes came first – they were willing to take a chance. At the end of 2017, Toto got in touch with us; I’m very grateful to him.”

The burden he would carry being an Italian in Ferrari reportedly was one of the reasons why Kimi  ended up with Mercedes.

When GP Fans asked Corriere dello Sport, one of top three Italian newspapers, if fans can think of Antonelli in red they gave a nod.

“It’s not forbidden. There have been Italians at Ferrari, and the last one who tried, a dear friend, Michele Alboreto, didn’t succeed. Antonelli has already proven he deserves top-flight cars: with a little experience, he’ll certainly become a great driver.”

For now, though, Antonelli is staying put. Mercedes confirmed in 2025 that he will continue with them alongside George Russell for the 2026 season and beyond. Ferrari, on the other hand, have Hamilton tied down at least until the end of 2026.

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