- Indian Wells champion Sinner congratulates Antonelli on his maiden win.
- He expresses pride in Antonelli for bringing their nation back to the top.
- Sinner, a huge Formula 1 fan, believes tennis and racing synergies match.
Kimi Antonelli’s maiden win celebration has extended beyond the F1 sphere, as tennis star Jannik Sinner paid tribute to the young driver after being crowned the Indian Wells champion. This weekend was significant for Antonelli as he performed impressively during all sessions of the Chinese Grand Prix.
Yes, a slight setback did occur during the sprint race when he had a poor start due to a lack of boost, which dropped his position to the midfield. However, he pushed to recover positions and eventually ended up in the points.
During GP qualifying, he secured pole, becoming the youngest-ever driver to do so in F1 history. He carried the momentum into the Chinese Grand Prix, eventually winning his first-ever race and becoming the second-youngest driver to achieve this milestone after Max Verstappen.
Sinner is proud of Antonelli
After securing his Indian Wells title, Sinner shared a few kind words for the fellow Italian sportsman, Antonelli, on his maiden win in China.
Appreciating the milestone and for making the country proud, he added, “It has nothing to do with tennis, but it has been a special day for Italy because I’m a huge Formula 1 fan and having a very, very young Italian Kimi bringing Italy back home to the top.”
It is to be noted that the Mercedes driver is also the first Italian to win an F1 Grand Prix in 20 years.
“It’s amazing, so thanks. Thanks Kimi. Thanks Formula 1 and see you all next year,” he concluded. As a gesture of admiration, he also took a pen and signed the camera lens with Antonelli’s name, showcasing the strong sense of camaraderie between two athletes from different sports.
Sinner loves Formula 1
Before the commencement of the 2024 season, Sinner was picked as an F1 friend to support and promote the sport through attending certain Grands Prix and engaging with fans. At the time, he revealed that he is very fond of motorsport and that he really enjoys the thrill of racing in general.
He stated that one of the core reasons he is a fan of Formula 1 is that he believes both tennis and racing share a lot of “synergies.” “I feel that in both sports it’s all about the 1%, and it’s the small details that make a huge difference,” he elaborated.
What fascinates him about the sport is how the drivers constantly maximise their skillsets and potential, while the teams also give their best to improve the cars to compete.
It is thrilling for him to see how drivers beat each other by milliseconds. “It’s fascinating how they compete and perform under the most extreme pressure at the highest level week in and week out,” he added.
Last year, Sinner also attended the F1 grand finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he also appeared to have spent time with the Mercedes team, Antonelli, Toto Wolff, and George Russell.
