Kimi Antonelli revealed that he would like to build in Formula 1 a relationship with fans similar to the one Valentino Rossi maintains even years after leaving the MotoGP tracks. For the young Italian, the legacy left by the multiple MotoGP champion goes far beyond the results obtained during his career.
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Rossi ended his motorcycle career in 2021 but remains an extremely popular figure in motorsport, participating in Rally events and especially in the WEC. His traditional number 46 and products related to the rider still appear among fans at MotoGP stages, something Antonelli considers especially remarkable.
The Mercedes driver is only in his second season in F1 but already sees in Rossi a reference on how an athlete can remain connected to the public after retirement. Speaking about his compatriot, Antonelli also highlighted the ability of the seven-time champion of the main MotoGP category to handle difficult situations.
“Many times, he won races even before getting on the track. He was very strong mentally. It would be good to experience that feeling,” Antonelli told Automoto Italy.
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The Italian also highlighted Rossi’s versatility and his ability to win over the public: “As an athlete, Vale was very complete, very fast, very strong in the race, especially on weekends that seemed difficult, when he started from behind and managed to recover. And he managed to attract a huge audience,” he said.
For Antonelli, reproducing this type of connection would be an important achievement in his own career: “It would be wonderful to recreate the same effect in F1, the esteem, the support, the cheering. It is a very beautiful thing,” he added.
Besides Rossi, Antonelli maintains friendships with other important names in Italian sport, such as MotoGP rider Marco Bezzecchi, jumper Mattia Furlani, and tennis player Jannik Sinner. According to the Mercedes driver, living with athletes subjected to the same pressure also helps in his preparation, as they understand the demands of competing at the highest level.
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