Kimi Antonelli moved to tears as stadium crowd chants his name at Italy and France match
Kimi Antonelli was seen tearing up as he watched Italy play France in a football match.
Formula 1 world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli was seen fighting back tears as he watched Italy play France at the San Siro.
Antonelli, who was crowned F1’s youngest-ever world champion in Mexico, was enjoying some downtime between races by watching Italy beat France 3-1 at the San Siro stadium in the Nations League.
During the match, Antonelli was moved to tears after the 70,000-strong crowd started chanting his name in tribute to Italy’s new sporting hero.
“Wow,” Antonelli was seen saying in response to the incredible reception when he was shown on the big screen.
It marked Antonelli’s first home crowed ovation since becoming world champion with four races to spare.
Antonelli not only broke the record for the youngest driver to be crowned world champion at 20 years old, he is also the first Italian to win the drivers’ title in 73 years.
He also became the first Italian home winner in 60 years by producing an unforgettable fightback drive at Monza to win from 19th on the grid.
A fifth-place finish in Brazil last time out saw Antonelli help his Mercedes team to clinch the constructors’ world championship.
After a weekend off, Antonelli will return to F1 action at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on 22 November.
Las Vegas marks the start of a triple-header of events that will conclude the 2026 season.
F1 is pressing ahead with plans to hold the two events in Qatar on 29 November and Abu Dhabi on 6 December despite the ongoing conflict between the United States/Israel and Iran.
Imola had been preparing as a back-up race but F1 has now told the Italian venue to stand down.
F1 could yet cancel the final two rounds of the season if the situation in the Middle East deteriorates in the coming weeks.
Such a scenario would result in Vegas becoming the season finale and the campaign being reduced to 21 events.
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