# Is ‘disruptor’ Antonelli winning hearts in Italy, where Ferrari is F1?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/is-disruptor-antonelli-winning-hearts-in-italy-where-ferrari-is-f1/
- Published: 2026-09-05T06:32:23+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-05T07:32:20+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Sport (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/cj03m124lp3o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Art, Culture, Europe, Motorsport, Sport, World

## Key points

- Kimi Antonelli, 20, leads the F1 championship by 59 points ahead of Monza.
- He drives for Mercedes, not Italy's beloved Ferrari.
- Italy hasn't had a champion since 1952-53; fans are torn but excited.

## Summary

Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver, arrives at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix leading the Formula 1 world championship, raising hopes that he could end Italy's 73-year wait for a home-grown world champion. The twist is that he drives for Mercedes rather than Ferrari, the team so deeply woven into Italian identity that fans and commentators liken supporting it to a religion, yet Antonelli's form and personality appear to be winning over Italian fans regardless of team colours.

Antonelli became F1's youngest-ever championship leader in March after winning in Japan aged 19 years, seven months and four days, and heads into Monza with a 59-point lead having won six races this season. Italy last celebrated a Ferrari world champion in 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen, and has not had an Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1952-53; journalists, ex-racers and fans quoted by the BBC describe Antonelli as a "disruptor" who is reshaping traditional fan loyalties, with some Ferrari faithful admitting they are torn between backing the Scuderia and cheering on the young Italian.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.