Kimi Antonelli meets President Mattarella in Rome

Antonelli meets Mattarella in Rome

I find the scale of Kimi Antonelli’s celebrations following his recent world title win impressive. This meeting followed his attendance at the Italy versus France football match, where the Italian men’s national team won 3-1. Antonelli, who lives in San Marino, met President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale in Rome on Friday alongside his parents, Marco and Veronica, and his sister, Maggie, following his recent Formula 1 world title win. He explained to the president how he feels during a race. Before the meeting, he visited San Marino to celebrate the championship he secured two weeks ago at the Mexico Grand Prix. This victory ended an Italian driver’s world championship drought that lasted since 1953. Antonelli gave the president one of his official helmets featuring a dedication written on the visor that read, "To President Mattarella, with great admiration." I think the meeting in Rome successfully captures the momentum of his debut championship season.

The physical demands of racing

The conversation between the driver and the president shows the extreme physical toll of modern racing. Antonelli explained to Mattarella that drivers lose roughly a couple of kilograms during a race because of the heat and the intense physical requirements of the session. He said, "We have the fireproof suit, which is also hot. We train to be as ready as we can and to be able to withstand the heat we experience when we drive. But then after the session you jump into a tub of cold water…" When the president asked if racing in Formula 2 or karts felt similar, Antonelli replied that in karts he was much more out in the open. He noted that while he was much more enclosed in a single-seater, F2 races are shorter and less physical than the hour and a half sessions in Formula 1. I think Mattarella’s interest in visiting a race at Monza next year makes sense because the new situation with Antonelli’s competitiveness encourages him to watch the sport again. Mattarella said his movements are complex, but the current competition encourages him. Antonelli now prepares to fly to Nevada to contest the third-to-last round of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Las Vegas.