In Imola, Kimi Antonelli offers his classmates a dream school trip

While Max Verstappen welcomes her first child, that Nico Hulkenberg sees his own people grow up or that Fernando Alonso et Lewis Hamilton As they enter their fifth decade of life, Kimi Antonelli continues their young adult life with disconcerting maturity.

At just 18 years old, the Italian looks the aforementioned greats straight in the eye, with great respect but without any inferiority complex when the visor is lowered. The driver Mercedes took his first pole position in F1 for the sprint race of the Miami GP, showing his immense talent and his supersonic learning of his car, who was still playing in FRECA 18 months ago.

But aside from his hectic life as a pilot, Antonelli remains an 18-year-old with academic obligations. The Bologna native is in his final year of high school in Italy, even if he doesn't often set foot inside his school. "I can't go to school right now, but I'm trying to study as much as possible, especially in the little free time I have," explains the protégé of Toto wolff, who is not a big fan of studying, but who wants to complete his studies to please his mother.

“I’m also getting help from school to try to catch up, because I’ve clearly missed a lot of work during this period. But it’s not easy, as it also requires energy and effort,” continues Antonelli, who is facing his second triple Grand Prix at the start of the season, as Monaco and Barcelona will follow Imola. "Especially before such an important weekend, it's really crucial to manage that, not to overdo it to save energy. But yes, whenever I'm home or have a little free time, I try to do a little bit, just to stay active and catch up as much as possible."

Kimi and her classmates! 📸#F1 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/H5lJQbjqmi

— Andrea Kimi Antonelli Fan 🇫🇷🇮🇹 (@AKA12_FanPageFR) May 15, 2025

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Imola, the pressure and the happiness of home for Antonelli

While school isn't the Italian's greatest passion, his relationship with his friends and classmates is very important. So Kimi organized a school trip that many high school students dream of experiencing: a weekend spent immersed in the world of learning with him in Imola. "Thanks to some people at Mercedes, we were able to organize this for the school. I think it's a good way for them to see this world with their own eyes.", explains the rookie. “They were used to watching the races on TV, but didn’t really know what went on behind the scenes. I think it’s a great experience and I really hope they enjoy it. We’ve organized a few activities—later, I’ll show them the car and explain a little, without going into too much detail. It’s a good way to keep in touch, as I don’t spend much time at home, so I don’t see them often. These little things can make a difference.”

A nice gesture from the local who lives in " three minutes from the circuit » and who will discover for the first time in Formula 1 the joy and pressure of racing in front of his fans, his family and his friends. "It feels really real now. It took me a while to realize this moment, that for the first time, I'm going to race in F1 at home.", smiles Kimi Antonelli. “And at the same time, it’s super exciting. The energy is going to be incredible, especially seeing so many Italian fans. At the end of the session, I’m going to take a good look around and probably give everyone a little wave, because it’s so important to have such support. It can really help and motivate you to go out on track and do even better. I could already feel, since the beginning of the year, so much support from the Italians. And it’s only growing. I’m super happy about that. I really couldn’t have asked for more. I think it would be really nice to get a good result, also for them—for everyone who comes this weekend and takes time out to watch the race.”

After the sprint pole in Miami, a real pole position would be a dream opportunity for Kimi Antonelli to unanimously bring the stands to their feet at Imola, the cursed land of his idol Ayrton Senna, but the sacred land of his childhood.

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