{"id":1981936,"date":"2026-06-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1981936"},"modified":"2026-06-10T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T21:00:00","slug":"kimi-antonelli-on-classic-f1-cars-id-love-to-try-something-with-a-v12-or-v10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1981936","title":{"rendered":"Kimi Antonelli on classic F1 cars: “I’d love to try something with a V12 or V10”"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As we reach the end of the pit lane, Kimi Antonelli hits the kill switch on the AMG GT2. Gruff, grumbly V8 now extinguished, the car rolls silently to a halt bar some brake squeal. The door opens. \u201cYeah, we had some aquaplaning,\u201d the driver says, with whatever the Italian equivalent of supreme nonchalance is. Impassibile<\/em>, that\u2019s the word.<\/p>\n

Actually, I can confirm this. Three minutes before we headed onto the track, Silverstone did its inimitable thing and summoned a torrential downpour out of a sky that had been largely blue and cloudless for the previous two hours. Slick rubber was switched for full wets, and the promise of maximum attack morphed into an adventure in car control.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What we sacrifice in cornering speeds is more than compensated by Kimi\u2019s ability to determine grip where there is seemingly none. It\u2019s magical to observe up close, for Silverstone has basically turned into a lake. Sure, the car has a multi-stage traction control system, but he has that dialled back so far that it\u2019s his right foot that\u2019s calling the shots.<\/p>\n

Stowe, Vale and Club are tricky enough in the dry, but borderline absurd now. As is Wellington straight, which is where the aquaplaning event occurs\u2026 Might we actually fall off?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Of course we don\u2019t. F1 drivers have a way of excising all danger in moments like this. The inputs are sublimely measured. Kimi also has the Monaco GP coming up, so the risk\/benefit analysis is comfortably in hand. As we know, he\u2019ll dominate F1\u2019s crown jewel event in a manner that has even sage F1 experts like Martin Brundle drawing parallels with Ayrton Senna. The kid is clearly overflowing with the right stuff. And right now he\u2019s just breezing through it all, like he was born to do it. The talent is sky high, but the feet are on the ground.<\/p>\n

Kimi has also just lent his name to a limited edition of the AMG GT2, called the W16, which has a Push2Pass function for up to 819bhp and integrated DRS. Like other big names, Mercedes-AMG has discovered there\u2019s excellent business in customer racing cars, most famously the GT3 Evo campaigned by Verstappen Racing to near victory at the N\u00fcrburgring 24 Hours last month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The GT2, though, is not homologated so it\u2019s unconstrained by any regulatory requirements. The W16 gets new turbos and engine electronics, as well as that boost gizmo, a six-speed sequential race transmission, adjustable damping, and four-stage stabilisers on the front and rear axle. Kimi\u2019s autograph is emblazoned on the door sills. It\u2019s an exceptionally desirable track day toy, and yours for \u00a3706k. The man himself is here to do the handover to a garageful of lucky new owners.<\/p>\n

\u201cI drove it in Monza, when we first presented the car, before the Grand Prix. It\u2019s very, very cool,\u201d he says. \u201cI gave my feedback and they did some tweaks. To be fair, from the first laps it felt great, you know easy to drive, the perfect car to have fun with on the track. It\u2019s a quick car, with push-to-pass I did 310km\/h on the straight at Monza, that\u2019s pretty rapid\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Top Gear: So that\u2019s four GP wins in a row (now five)\u2026<\/h3>\n

Kimi Antonelli:<\/strong> I would have taken it if you\u2019d told me at the start of the year. I knew I could have done well, but at the same time it could have been very difficult, because George is very, very quick. But it\u2019s been a great start and the goal is to keep up the momentum, keep maximising the result, keep raising the bar. It\u2019s obviously a massive opportunity and you just want to make the best out of it.<\/p>\n

Racking up the wins race after race must mean more confidence, which in turn means more pace, right?<\/h3>\n

After the first win it felt like breaking the ice. Or like when you unlock a new level in a computer game. With more confidence you drive more freely, you\u2019re able to enjoy the whole experience across the weekend more fully. When I look at the on-boards from last year and compare them to this year, I see a massive difference, just in where my hands are on the wheel, I look much more relaxed now\u2026 it\u2019s a big difference. And a great feeling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Because the car is clearly better this year, too?<\/h3>\n

The fact that the car is quick definitely helps, but also having a year of experience. You know much more what to expect. You\u2019re more in control of the situation, you\u2019re more aware of your potential, you know the team better, and how to manage your energy during the weekend. I know myself much better now, what I need, what I don\u2019t need, and how to manage myself during the race weekend in order to always be 100 per cent when I\u2019m in the car.<\/p>\n

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\"Kimi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

You\u2019re still so young. Is the 19-year old battling the F1 driver?<\/h3>\n

I try to be myself, first of all, even at the track. I try to bring a lot of good energy to the team, I bring a lot of my Italian side into the team, try to enjoy the time with the team as much as possible. Also in terms of creating a good bond with the mechanics and the engineers. That\u2019s important when it comes to creating a really good dynamic inside the team, and it allows you, as the driver, to enjoy the weekend even more, not only when it comes to driving the car.<\/p>\n

Do you ever lose your temper?<\/h3>\n

Yes. In the car, though, not outside. I try not to show too much on the outside when I get annoyed or angry, I try to keep it to myself. I want to keep the energy positive, I don\u2019t want to show too much negativity in the bad moments. [pause] It\u2019s not like I\u2019m always happy and everything. I do get pissed off.<\/p>\n

Does your father get on your case?<\/h3>\n

[laughs] Now he\u2019s much more composed. He does still kick my butt a little bit at times. But he does it in a good way, in a constructive way.<\/p>\n

You really do seem to have an advanced emotional maturity for someone of your age.<\/h3>\n

Well, I have a great team behind me, and a great family. My dad was a racer himself, he\u2019s running his own racing team, he\u2019s been in the sport for more than 30 years. He always makes sure I\u2019m grounded, that I keep my focus on the ultimate goal and that I don\u2019t get carried away with external distractions. I\u2019ve been with Mercedes since 2018, so I\u2019ve grown up with them.<\/p>\n

Are you treated like a rock star in Italy now? Do you need bodyguards?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s OK. I still get out. Of course I get stopped much more often now, but I don\u2019t see it as a bad thing. There are times when you just want to be alone, but I\u2019ve just moved to San Marino and I\u2019ve got my own space now, so I can relax and\u2026<\/p>\n

Leave the dirty dishes in the sink?<\/h3>\n

No, no, I still have to do my chores.<\/p>\n

Do you know where the washing machine is?<\/h3>\n

Yeah, yeah. But I had to learn. The first time I used the washing machine I did a little bit of a disaster because I mixed the wrong colours.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all been there, Kimi, don\u2019t worry.<\/h3>\n

But now I learned my lesson\u2026 I still go back to Bologna to see my friends, and go for dinner. I do get stopped but as long as people are respectful, it\u2019s nice. I actually enjoy it.<\/p>\n

You own a Mercedes-AMG GT, but is there anything you\u2019re really after?<\/h3>\n

My dream car is a Project One. It\u2019s a big step, and I\u2019d love to try one. I need to win a few world championships before being able to get it, but I love cars in general. I always have.<\/p>\n

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\"AMG<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

What car pictures did you have on your bedroom wall?<\/h3>\n

Actually I had a picture of Ayrton Senna, and also some pictures of Gilles Villeneuve. My dad was a massive fan of his. We have that famous picture of him on full opposite lock in the house. I\u2019ve watched footage of him in the race where he crashed and was driving the car on three wheels [Dutch GP, 1979]. Also the battle with Arnoux [French GP, 1979]\u2026 two drivers battling each other full-on. I\u2019d love to try some older cars, something with a V12 or V10 engine.<\/p>\n

How complicated are this year\u2019s cars to drive?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s fascinating. The technology has taken a massive step on, the cars are incredibly quick and incredibly fast, and very complicated at the same time. That\u2019s why we have so many people at the track and the factory building it and developing it. The level is just so high nowadays.<\/p>\n

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I’d love to try some older cars, something with a V12 or V10<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

How do you like your car set up?<\/h3>\n

Well obviously it\u2019s about trying to find the right balance, but I prefer a car that rotates rather than an understeery one. Then it depends on the track. At Monaco you want a car that rotates well because it\u2019s lower speed, but at a track like Silverstone you want something a bit more stable, so you can carry more speed into the corners. You want as much front potential as possible without compromising the rear too much. But there are tracks where you drive the car with more oversteer, and tracks where you go a bit the other way.<\/p>\n

Now we\u2019re into the European phase of the championship. How does that feel?<\/h3>\n

People say, \u2018Europe was bad last year\u2019 and stuff like that. But I know what I can do, so let\u2019s wait and see. Hopefully we can do really well until the summer break, then pick up from where we finish off.<\/p>\n

Onto the really important stuff \u2013 is your grandma\u2019s cooking the best in Italy?<\/h3>\n

Yes.<\/p>\n

But isn\u2019t every Italian grandma\u2019s cooking the best, though?<\/h3>\n

Yeah, I guess. But not as good as mine. My mum\u2019s mother. She\u2019s from Veneto, but moved to Emilia Romagna. Her signature dish is gramigna<\/em> with salsiccia [that\u2019s a curvy pasta with sausage], and also a tagliatelle al rag\u00f9<\/em>. My aunt, my mum\u2019s sister, works in a pasta shop. They make fresh pasta \u2013 tagliatelle and tortellini \u2013 and it\u2019s amazing. That\u2019s in Bologna. In winter, I like it so much. Too much, in fact.<\/p>\n

\n

\"Kimi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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