Comparing Antonelli to F1 greats ’disrespectful’ - Domenicali

Stefano Domenicali admits he would be "thrilled" if teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli became world champion - even as the Formula 1 chief echoed concerns about excessive hype surrounding the 19-year-old Italian.

Antonelli’s stunning start to 2026 has already triggered comparisons in Italy with tennis world number 1 Jannik Sinner, while Toto Wolff recently warned about the danger of building "a castle of expectations" around the Mercedes driver too early.

Speaking to veteran Italian journalist Leo Turrini, Domenicali agreed caution is needed.

"Kimi shouldn’t be compared to any of the greats of the past," said the Italian.

"It’s unfair to him and disrespectful to the legends of motorsport."

"I’ve known them all, from Senna to Schumacher, from Raikkonen to Alonso, all the way up to Hamilton and Verstappen."

"Each has left an indelible mark on F1."

Still, the former Ferrari team principal admitted Antonelli is already showing exceptional qualities.

"Aside from his natural instinct for speed, what strikes me about Antonelli is how quickly he learns from his mistakes," Domenicali said.

"And it’s right that so many Italians compare him to Sinner, recognising the emotions he elicits."

Then, momentarily stepping away from his neutral executive role, Domenicali admitted where his heart would lie if Antonelli pulled off a sensational title triumph.

"Given my role, I can’t say that," he smiled.

"But I’ll say it - if he won the world championship, I’d be thrilled."

"We speak the same dialect, he could be my son."

Domenicali also reflected on Ferrari, the team he once led, amid yet another difficult title challenge for the Maranello outfit.

"When I was team principal at Maranello, we lost three drivers’ titles, in 2008, 2010, and 2012, by a handful of points," he said.

"You once wrote that if we’d won them, my story and that of the Prancing Horse would have changed, and maybe that’s true, but it doesn’t matter."

Ferrari remains in the fight in 2026 despite greater recent momentum from McLaren and Red Bull - with Mercedes continuing to lead from the front.

"Right now, it seems to me that the Reds need consistency to reach their goal," Domenicali said.

"Besides, I’m personally convinced that this championship is still open - McLaren is back, and so is Verstappen."

"If Ferrari were to win a race between now and the end of June, the outlook would change - enthusiasm helps."