F1 Great Riccardo Patrese explains why he told Kimi Antonelli he had to win a championship this season
Mercedes F1 driver Kimi Antonelli became the first Italian driver to claim a World Drivers' Championship since the legendary Alberto Ascari won his second in 1953.
Key points
- "I said to him, ‘Look, Kimi, you have to be really world champion this year because it's an important [year],’" Patrese recalled.
- That gave the 20-year-old enough of a points cushion when other teams started to catch up in the development race as the season progressed, and he clinched the title earlier this month in Mexico City.
- So we’ve known each other very well for a long time," Patrese told OutKick over Zoom, promoting Jackpot City Casino.
"So in the end, to see Kimi be world champion is a fantastic feeling because, for me, it's like [having] another son." That relationship, coupled with his own 256 Grand Prix starts, made Patrese a perfect person to offer some advice to the young Italian.
It was an incredible run that, it turns out, started with some wisdom from another Italian F1 great, Riccardo Patrese.
Additional details
- Patrese competed in F1 from 1977 to 1993, driving for numerous teams like Benetton and Williams, and won six Grand Prix, including the 1982 Monaco Grand Prix while with Brabham.
- Antonelli at least seemed to have taken that to heart because he made the most of Mercedes' early dominance, including a run of five straight wins through the spring.
- Patrese said that Antonelli's win is already inspiring the next wave of Italian drivers.
- "We have other young talented drivers in Italy, but now that Kimi is world champion, it automatically [gives] enthusiasm, and motorsport in Italy is growing.
- CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE "Kimi is a very good friend of my family, and we are friends of Kimi's family as well.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
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