In the feeder series world, few names garner as much hype as Prema Racing’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The Italian teenager electrified in karting before a full-time step into cars last year, taking both the Italian and German ADAC F4 titles. With such an impressive racing record, together with representing one of only a handful of Mercedes Junior Team drivers since 2019, it would be easy for Antonelli to believe the hype surrounding him. Perhaps he does, but when Feeder Series sat down with him in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine paddock in Barcelona, that was not the kind of person sitting opposite us.

By Jim Kimberley

The Andrea Kimi Antonelli we interviewed was charming, polite, and full of enthusiasm, possessing quiet confidence that never ventures towards cockiness. In fact, the interview takes place with the FRECA hopeful sitting on a footstool he found in lieu of a chair to help with our recording. There’s no ego here.

Antonelli’s 2023 thoughts

Since speaking on the Feeder Series podcast in February, the Mercedes Junior has added another title to his collection, that being the Formula Regional Middle East Championship. Naturally, we start there, and whether that is the secret to his FRECA start that has already netted three podiums and one pole position from just four starts.

“Yeah! I mean, that’s been a good bag of experience. Obviously, because of the injury I had last year, I wasn’t able to do any testing — just two days in Barcelona here in December.

“I think doing UAE helped me a lot, especially to know the car and to also learn the car on the racetrack together with other drivers. Because it’s quite a lot different compared to F4, I think it was really helpful, and it also helped me start this season well.”

With so many from FRMEC also doing FRECA, Antonelli knows what he’s up against this season.

“I mean, the grid looks really strong. There are drivers with already a year of experience. Also, UAE helped me because there were some of the drivers that I’m racing with now.

“For example, Tramnitz did a good job today because he [got] P1. So I was able to know them, to learn about them their weaknesses and their strong points… I think it was a really good help.”

The progression on the single-seater ladder to F1 sees today’s hopefuls move from karting to cars, then to cars with push-to-pass, before reaching DRS in F3 and F2. For Antonelli, it’s FRECA’s push-to-pass that he’s familiarising himself with, and he views it as a positive for the championship.

“It’s is a good thing because with regional, it’s really hard to overtake because you feel a lot of dirty air when you’re behind. The push to pass you feel… you feel quite a bit.

“And it’s a good thing because you can use it quite well. You need to think [about] where to use it and how to use it because you obviously want to overtake, and you want to use it as best as possible to make the move. 

“You need to study a little bit [about] where is the best zone to use it, but yeah, I think it’s a really good thing because it makes the race… you enjoy it more.”

A rollercoaster start to FRECA

Speaking on the challenges he’s faced in the opening two rounds, Antonelli first reflects on Imola, where he failed to start the second race after mechanical woes.

“I think the first day went very well. Quali 1 was quite good. Race 1 was really tough because I started to have some issues with the car. So it was really hard to manage, but it was still a P2, which was really good.

“And then unluckily day two was not amazing. Two issues that got bigger and bigger. So yeah, I wasn’t able to drive, and [it] was a big shame, because I had a really good potential, but we’re ready to bounce back.”

And bounce back he did. With the pole in Barcelona’s first race, his first in the championship, and a front-row start for Sunday’s event, Antonelli left Spain with two P2 finishes at the new-look track with its sweeping final corner.

“I really like the new layout. The last corner is really cool, especially in qualifying, it is really, really fast. And it’s, you know, you need to get a bit of the measure [of it] in the first few laps because obviously, you come at really high speeds, so, yeah, it’s a really cool corner.”

Team Antonelli

One thing you only get a slight sense of from the television cameras is the number of Mercedes-clad personnel around the paddock supporting him. Even as we speak, his new-for-2023 Mercedes-hired trainer is watching on as one of several representatives from the Silver Arrows in support of their young protégé.

“They support me a lot during the race weekend and also not during the race weekend — also off track. This year, I got a trainer who follows me all the time and helped me to improve.

“That guy over there (he points), Sergi [Àvila]? He helps me to improve on the physical side, and, obviously, he supports me on the track.

“And, also I have a few other people who support me, and it’s really nice to have them because they’re really good support. They helped me during the season, also in the difficulties, like Imola… they helped me a bit.

“It’s good to have them on my side.”

Of course, Prema is also a consistent part of Antonelli’s life along with Mercedes, having raced for the Italian squad or teams supported by them all of his single-seater life. The all-female F1 Academy joined FRECA in Barcelona, with Marta Garcia leading the charge in the early part of the new championship.

“I know the Academy drivers from Prema. I’ve talked to them a little bit, not much. But yeah, it’s nice to have also this weekend, and it’s nice to see them racing. But yeah, I get along well with them.

“No, no [we don’t share] real tips because, especially this weekend, they drive right after us, so it’s really hard to talk, but, yeah it’s good to be with them.”

Naturally, we had to ask the real question about teamwork in any organisation, big or small: Who makes the best coffee?

“Who makes the best coffee? Me, of course! No, no, no, no, I’m joking!

“I make coffee sometimes for my engineer or some of the mechanics or some guys from Mercedes. I don’t drink coffee because it’s too strong for me.”

Someone who selflessly makes drinks for others that they won’t consume themselves? It seems those first impressions about Antonelli’s lack of ego were correct. That relaxed personality, and speed on the track, of course, will take this feeder series star far.

Header photo credit: Prema Racing