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Steiner: 'Italian love for Ferrari hinders Antonelli's fan breakthrough'
Former team principal Guenther Steiner claims Italian fans' traditional focus on Ferrari stands in the way of recognition for star talent Kimi Antonelli.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-07-23T17:49:31.000Z - 2 min read
Kimi Antonelli, the nineteen-year-old racing talent from Italy, is not yet fully embraced by fans in his home country—at least according to former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner. Speaking on a recent podcast, the colorful Austrian suggested that the root cause is a deeply ingrained national obsession with Ferrari.
Steiner notes that the achievements of the young driver, widely regarded as a future Formula 1 star, are underappreciated in Italy. The focus on the red cars from Maranello is so intense that it diverts attention from other promising Italian sporting feats, keeping Antonelli's successes out of the main spotlight.
Steiner made his comments during an appearance on The Red Flags Podcast. He spoke shortly after Antonelli secured his sixth win of the season at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit—a result that under normal circumstances would have triggered a wave of national enthusiasm.
That victory highlighted once again the exceptional talent of Antonelli, who has consistently impressed in the junior categories. Yet his compatriots appear more fixated on developments surrounding Ferrari, a phenomenon deeply embedded in Italian sports culture for decades. As a result, they may be missing the rise of a potential national racing icon.
The connection between Italy and Ferrari extends far beyond a sports team; it is a national symbol, a point of pride, and a unifying bond. This emotional connection is so dominant that individual talents operating outside Ferrari's umbrella face a formidable challenge in generating the same level of widespread public backing.
For Antonelli, this means that despite his promising progression and string of victories, he still has to fight for undivided affection in the hearts of home-country motorsport enthusiasts. His impressive track record is unquestionable, but public perception within Italy remains a complex issue.
Steiner's observation sheds an interesting light on the unique dynamics of Formula 1 fandom in a nation where love for a single brand assumes near-religious proportions. How this situation evolves remains to be seen as Antonelli's career inevitably progresses toward the top.