Kimi Antonelli

Many people don’t think of F1 as a sport, and it’s a very strange sport in the fact that we risk a lot when we go on track. We go at such high speeds and risk our lives for it. But also, for the demand to drive a race car, especially when the G forces are so big on the neck and the core and your upper body, you need to be ready for it. Over the course of a race, when you do an hour and a half without stopping, you start to feel the fatigue. Then with the heat in summer... it’s an open cockpit, but where we sit in our carbon seats, it can reach up to 55 degrees. You also have to take into consideration that we don’t drink that much either, around 300ml water. It’s cold for the first five minutes of the race and then it matches the temperature of the car!

They’ve been essential in getting me up to this moment and still now, they're very important. My dad used to be a racer and he’s owned his own racing team for several years now. He was the one [instilled] the passion in me, and taught me everything that he knew over the years. He’s played a massive role in my career and he still does now. He comes to all of my F1 races to support me. My mum also, of course – she was the one taking me to all the races growing up because my dad, [having his own] racing team, couldn't follow me to the racetrack. Without both of them, I wouldn't be here.

There’s quite a few of us rookies this year, and they’re all doing very well. It shows that even if you’re very young, you can achieve great things – especially at the peak of the sport. From this age, you can only improve with time. You’ve got so much to learn, so much to experience, and I feel I’m quite far from my true potential. I’m excited by that. 

My generation has grown up with simulators. We’re in that era where technology is getting so advanced and we’re growing up [alongside it], with AI, with simulator data. Preparation wise, I think we have more tools in order to be ready, but the simulator is only so good, it’s still different to real life. 

The intensity. The life of an F1 driver isn’t just about the track, there’s a lot that goes on outside, too. You’re always flat out. We don’t just go back home and do nothing, you know? There’s a lot that we prepare for race weekends. Also, I live in Italy but I travel to the UK when I need to prepare – there’s a lot going on. People only see the race starts, but never everything behind it. The preparation is incredible, and very intense. 

Right now, my main goal is to give everything to F1, but in my normal life, I want to be successful, too. I want to be efficient, and in 20 to 30 years time when I won’t be racing anymore, I want to still do something that keeps me active. Because once you finish, it’s easy to do nothing after working hard for so many years. I want to be successful outside of racing.

I’ve got quite a few hobbies: I’m pretty much always on the simulator, but I also drive remote control cars. It’s something new that I’ve started recently and it’s great fun. It’s good training as well, especially for mental focus. I also like to go driving with my go-kart , and I play padel. In my downtime, I try to do things that keep me active, but won’t tire me out – it’s all a way to release mental stress, to just relax and enjoy. I try to do these activities as much as possible because in sports, the mental [part] is basically what does everything. 

There’s different kinds of music depending on the situation. Right now, I’d listen to some Drake, but something that’s quite chill. Pre-race, it would probably be Eminem, something that gets the heartbeat racing. 

Being with IWC has given me the opportunity to discover a new world, and build a new passion – and that’s pretty cool. I really want to discover more. I’d love to visit the factory where they produce them to see the whole process, because I can’t imagine how insanely difficult it is to build a watch. The precision must be incredible. 

I really like Pilots watches from IWC. But I’ve got a small wrist, so I’d make it a little bit smaller and I’d also change the rubber strap to a metal bracelet I think. 

The one thing that stands out is the precision, [just] like in F1. Everything needs to be perfect: how it looks, as well as the design.

I recently celebrated my girlfriend’s birthday. We had a nice dinner and then we went to the Flight Club in Victoria to play darts. I’m not super good at it, but I’m getting there. As for on the track, driving lego cars in the driver’s parade this year was insane.