Melbourne, Australia. Kimi Antonelli has organized to satisfy us at an Italian restaurant that has grow to be a hotspot for F1’s ample Italian-speaking neighborhood. On the subsequent desk is Franco Colapinto sharing a meal with some Argentinian pals. They catch up about motorsport, expectations for a world championship that’s about to start.
Kimi appears ravenous in additional methods than one. Eager to tuck into the scrumptious Emilian delicacies that units the benchmark in Melbourne, but additionally hungry to capitalise on Mercedes’s shiny new W17 – a automotive that appears able to making his hopes and goals come true.
He might solely be 19 however make no mistake about it. This can be a lad who has grown up residing and respiration racing since he was an toddler. It is exhausting to catch him off guard discussing a number of the greats of motor racing, whatever the class.
Given Mercedes’s favorite standing, our dialog quickly turns to success. Podiums, trophies, celebrations. “When you win one of many first two races, it’s a must to have fun like Jim Clark,” we propose.
“What’s that about?” We have piqued Kimi’s curiosity, as that is one little bit of F1 folklore he isn’t conscious of, and we present him the long-lasting photograph of Jim Clark crossing the end line on the 1967 United States Grand Prix. As he received the race at Watkins Glen, Clark gave a thumbs-up to the flag-waver.
In the meantime, the Scotsman’s right-rear wheel is all however hanging off after the highest hyperlink of his Lotus 49’s suspension broke with two laps to go. It was a miracle Clark managed to coast to the end in any respect. The ice cool thumbs-up celebration is a picture that has gone down in historical past.
“Okay,” Antonelli grins. “I like the thought. If I win one of many first two races, I’ll do it.”
Jim Clark raises his thumb as he wins the 1967 US Grand Prix with an ailing Lotus 49. His right-rear wheel is all however hanging on after a suspension failure.
Picture by: Autocar / LAT Photos by way of Getty Photos
In Australia, Antonelli settles for second behind team-mate George Russell; then it was off to China, and by Sunday that promise over an Italian meal had been all however forgotten. Forgotten by us, at the very least. However not by Kimi.
With Antonelli main the race from pole, Italy was anxiously counting down the laps to greet its newest grand prix winner. A hair-raising lock-up within the hairpin within the closing laps injected a jolt of adrenaline into the Mercedes storage – maybe akin to what the nice Colin Chapman should have felt when he noticed Clark wheeze previous with three functioning wheels. However Antonelli introduced the automotive dwelling and got here out of Shanghai’s ultimate nook because the second-youngest grand prix winner in historical past.
Antonelli crossed the chequered flag, and duly raised his thumb.
“Did you see that? You thought I’d forgotten, didn’t you?” Kimi laughed as we caught up with him after the race.
Certainly we did. Regardless of all the thrill and feelings coursing by means of Kimi’s veins as he took his breakthrough win, he was the one one who remembered the promise he’d revamped every week earlier.
“I stored my phrase, and now we are able to say it… it was a very good omen.”
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