George Russell sends ‘special’ message to Kimi Antonelli ahead of his first home Grand Prix in Imola

Kimi Antonelli is about to embark on his first home Grand Prix as a Formula 1 driver this weekend, as the European leg of the season kicks off at Imola.

The 18-year-old Italian is the top rookie in the drivers’ standings so far in 2025. Scoring points in all but one of the opening six races, Antonelli sits sixth in the drivers’ championship.

Coming in as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes, there was a lot of pressure on the teenager to deliver results, with many thinking Toto Wolff had possibly made a mistake with his choice of driver.

Damon Hill says everyone felt Wolff ‘lost his mind’ when he promoted the Italian to F1. However, he is now looking ‘very smart’ as Antonelli has shown how high his ceiling is.

Claiming his maiden pole position at the Miami GP for the Sprint, Mercedes expect ‘so much more’ from Antonelli as he impresses the team with his feedback behind the scenes. He will certainly want to continue the momentum on home soil at Imola.

George Russell tells Kimi Antonelli to ‘enjoy’ his home race at Imola in ‘special’ message

The first Italian F1 driver since Antonio Giovinazzi, Antonelli is fortunate enough to have two home races this season, with Monza scheduled in September. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix comes this weekend, with the circuit having a strong history in the sport.

Previously known as the San Marino Grand Prix, Imola has played host to some iconic racing, having returned to the calendar in recent years after a lengthy hiatus. The circuit was the site of F1 legend Ayrton Senna’s tragic accident in 1994, with his legacy still remembered 31 years later.

Antonelli had been compared to Senna before making his F1 debut. While he is far away from the Brazilian’s records, he certainly has the potential and he will want to put on a good show in front of his home crowd.

The Italian is flourishing with a great support network around him, with teammate George Russell and reserve driver Valtteri Bottas having a huge impact behind the scenes with his development.

Ahead of his first home race in F1, Russell sent a message to Antonelli via his Instagram story, writing: “Enjoy your first home race mate, will always be a special one!!”

READ MORE: Know all about 2025 Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli including stats

Why Kimi Antonelli could have a hostile reception at Imola

Antonelli is not the only home hero at Imola this weekend. It marks the first home race of 2025 for the Tifosi to cheer on Ferrari, as Lewis Hamilton races in red in Italy for the first time.

It has been an underwhelming start to the season for the seven-time world champion, having failed to finish in the top three in the opening six races. Teammate Charles Leclerc scored Ferrari’s only podium in Jeddah as they sit 152 points behind McLaren in fourth.

The Tifosi will be desperate to see an improvement at Imola from their beloved red team. Hamilton says Ferrari fans deserve success ahead of the Emilia Romagna GP, which will spur the fans on more to support the Maranello outfit.

The support for Ferrari could see Antonelli get booed at Imola this weekend. Despite being Italian, the Tifosi are known to have jeered drivers for beating Ferrari in the past.