Felipe Massa is sure that Kimi Antonelli will win several F1 Drivers’ Championships, but he doesn’t think it will be with Mercedes.
Kimi Antonelli made history at the Mexican Grand Prix by becoming the youngest-ever F1 Drivers’ Champion. Now, the Mercedes driver is focused on helping his team win the Constructors’ Championship this weekend in Brazil — their first since 2021.
While Mercedes and Antonelli hope this season marks the start of a strong run like their great years in the 2010s, Felipe Massa thinks the young Italian might eventually look for more titles elsewhere.
The former Ferrari driver told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he’s happy for Antonelli winning his first championship. Massa believes that once Antonelli gets his first crown, many more will follow — even with tough competition like Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who are also building their legacies.
Now, at just 20 years old, Antonelli could soon be included among the best F1 drivers ever. Massa feels the pairing between Antonelli and Mercedes is ideal right now, but thinks he may switch to Ferrari one day to keep winning and adding more titles for both himself and the team.
Massa said, “I’m sure about this. I even told his father. Going to Mercedes was the right move — they’ve done an amazing job helping him grow fast, thanks to great leadership from Toto Wolff. I hope he stays for two, three, maybe five championships… and then moves to Ferrari to continue winning there.”
Since retiring from F1 in 2017, after racing for Williams, Massa has stayed close to the sport and kept an eye on young talents. He first noticed Antonelli when he was just 13, racing go-karts.
Though Massa didn’t predict he’d become a world champion right then, he knew Antonelli was special and had big potential. Now, Massa’s belief has been proved right, saying, “I’ve known him since he was 13, karting. He was always humble, respectful, and a really nice guy. But when he got behind the wheel, there was something different — something unique.”