News Summary
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli says Brazil would be his choice if he could select one Grand Prix to win.
- Speaking at a Petronas event attended by GRANDE PRÊMIO, he also expressed a wish to clinch a future championship at Interlagos.
- The Mercedes driver visited Senna’s family before his first race weekend as Formula 1 world champion.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has identified the Brazilian Grand Prix as the race he would most like to win, saying his admiration for Ayrton Senna gives Interlagos a special place among Formula 1’s venues.
Speaking at a Petronas promotional event in São Paulo on Wednesday, November 4, attended by GRANDE PRÊMIO, the Mercedes driver described his ambition to turn that connection into a victory. He also raised the prospect of one day securing a championship by winning in Brazil.
Antonelli puts Interlagos first on his wish list
“If I could choose one race to win, it would be this one, here in Brazil,” Antonelli said.
The Italian hopes that opportunity will come this weekend. His visit follows the championship-clinching Mexican Grand Prix, where third place behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton secured his first title.
Antonelli’s next target is therefore a race victory rather than another step towards the 2026 Drivers’ Championship. Mercedes still has a Constructors’ Championship to pursue, with Ferrari its closest challenger heading into Interlagos.
A visit to Senna’s family before the race
Antonelli said he visited Senna’s family on Tuesday and saw cars associated with the three-time champion’s 1986 and 1988 seasons. He described the experience as emotional and thanked the family for the opportunity.
He also spoke warmly about Brazil’s atmosphere and the Portuguese language. Although his vocabulary remains limited, he amused those present by revealing that he knows “deu zebra”, an expression associated with a surprise or upset.
His special Senna tribute helmet for São Paulo provides another connection with his childhood hero. The design marks 35 years since Senna’s first Brazilian Grand Prix victory in 1991, when gearbox problems left the McLaren driver with only sixth gear in the closing stages.
When will Antonelli return to the track?
The São Paulo Grand Prix weekend begins on Friday, November 6, with FP1 at 12:30 local time and FP2 at 16:00.
Interlagos returns to the conventional format this year, providing three practice sessions before Saturday qualifying. Sunday’s 71-lap Grand Prix starts at 14:00 BRT, equivalent to 17:00 GMT in the United Kingdom.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the São Paulo Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
