Emerson Fittipaldi on Kimi Antonelli: “They can count themselves lucky that …”

The title of ‘racing legend’ is sometimes bandied about a bit too freely, but Emerson Fittipaldi truly is one: 14 Grand Prix victories, two-time Formula 1 champion (1972 and 1974), later an Indy 500 winner and IndyCar champion – what a career!

Now aged 79, the Brazilian is a frequent sight in the GP paddock in 2026, as he follows the career of his son, Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. Recently, Emerson, the elder of the two, spoke about another ‘Junior’ – Kimi Antonelli, who, driving for Mercedes, is on the verge of becoming the youngest Formula 1 champion.

Speaking to *La Gazzetta dello Sport* at the Trento Sports Festival in South Tyrol, Fittipaldi said of 19-year-old Antonelli: “I’ve known Kimi since his karting days, and I’m a close friend of his father, Marco.”

“Kimi Antonelli has all the talent and the right training to have a fabulous career, and it’s wonderful for Italy to have an athlete like him, because he’s already an inspiration to everyone. It’s a very special moment for Italy in modern Formula 1; they can count themselves lucky to have him and Ferrari. With his victory at Monza from 19th on the grid, Kimi has shown just how well he can handle the pressure.”

Naturally, the 1989 IndyCar champion is also asked about Ferrari in Italy. Fittipaldi believes: “Ferrari has everything it needs to succeed, including a brilliant team principal in Fred Vasseur. The car has shown on several occasions this year that it is competitive. Ferrari also has two strong drivers in Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who know exactly how to work successfully with the team. As for the drivers, I like Antonelli, Verstappen, Norris and Piastri – but most of all Fernando Alonso.”

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Was Ferrari never an option for the great Fittipaldi? Emerson says: “Every driver dreams of driving for Ferrari, don’t they? I remember that Enzo Ferrari invited me to lunch in 1971 and asked me to drive for him, but also in the World Sportscar Championship. But I wanted to concentrate entirely on Formula 1; I felt it was too much for me to do both. And so I stayed with Lotus.”

“Then, in 1976, after Niki Lauda’s accident, Ferrari rang me again and offered me the Austrian’s seat. I told him it wasn’t the right time to discuss it, and Niki did indeed return 47 days later. It was a true miracle for him to return to the racing car so soon, still bearing visible wounds, the trauma of that fire accident and the pain. Niki Lauda remains a shining example for all athletes to this day.”