MADRID : Kimi Antonelli looks increasingly like Formula One’s next champion but the Mercedes driver said on Thursday he was determined to put thoughts of the title to the back of his mind and focus solely on driving.
The 20-year-old told reporters at the Spanish Grand Prix that winning his home Italian race at Monza last Sunday, in front of tens of thousands of cheering compatriots after starting 19th due to engine penalties, had been the best day of his life “so far”.
Even eating spaghetti from the winner’s silver trophy tasted good, while Antonelli said his WhatsApp messages had exploded with congratulations from the likes of MotoGP great Valentino Rossi.
But with the championship still far from decided, Antonelli said he did not want the title battle to become a distraction.
“I don’t really want to drive thinking about championships,” he said.
“I think Monza was the proof that I wasn’t driving thinking about or worrying about the championship. I was just driving to win, to do my best.
“Of course there might be occasions in the future where, before taking a certain decision, I might think about the championship. But the thing I want to avoid is going on a track for a free practice or a qualifying or even a race thinking about or worrying about the championship. That’s the thing I want to avoid at all costs.”
Antonelli leads teammate George Russell by 66 points, with the Briton running out of races to close the gap.
Russell has won two races this season to Antonelli’s seven, although five of the Italian’s victories have come in succession.
“I think I would definitely need some luck and some good performances,” Russell said of his chances.
“It’s not really something I’m thinking about because, as I said, right now he’s performing better than me, so he deserves to be leading the championship. I’m focused on driving faster and just finding more performance.”
The new Madring circuit hosts the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time this weekend, presenting all the drivers with a fresh challenge.
