Antonelli on the podium: you never forget the first time
Andrea Kimi Antonelli will carry the memory of 15 June 2025 with him for the rest of his life. It was the day he stood on a Formula 1 Grand Prix podium for the very first time. Finishing third in Montreal secures him a place in the history of Italian motorsport. An Italian on the podium had not been seen since 2009 when Jarno Trulli finished second in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, effectively eons ago in the fast moving world of Formula 1.
At the age of 18 years, nine months and 21 days, Kimi became the third youngest driver to stand on the podium, with the two youngest and indeed the fourth youngest all racing against him last Sunday. Max Verstappen still holds the record, securing his first podium which also happened to make him the youngest winner, in Spain in 2016 at the age of 18 years, seven months and 15 days. Then there was Lance Stroll, who finished third in Baku in 2017, second on the list at the age of 18 years, seven months and 27 days, while Lando Norris is the fourth youngest, after he finished third in the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix, the first race run under Covid restrictions, aged 20 years, seven months and 22 days.
Antonelli is the first Italian driver to make it to the podium since Pirelli returned to Formula 1 as its Global Tyre Partner. While the Italian tyre manufacturer is entirely impartial in its role as the sole supplier, the sight of an Italian youngster on the podium in motor racing's blue riband category naturally evoked some strong emotions, as mentioned by Pirelli's Director of Motorsport, Mario Isola, after the race. In fact, Isola himself was on the Montreal podium as Pirelli is the title sponsor of that race and so he was able to see Kimi's happiness and emotion up close.
But the coincidences don't end there. Do you know when an Italian driver running Pirelli tyres last stood on an F1 podium? You need to go back 12,432 days to see the Italian flag flying above the podium and on that occasion too it happened in Montreal. On the 2nd June 1991, which just happens to be Italy's Republic Day, Stefano Modena finished second in his Tyrrell-Honda in a Canadian Grand Prix forever remembered for the mechanical failure (or was it driver error?) that on the very last lap, deprived Nigel Mansell of a win that had seemed in the bag. Victory actually went to his arch-rival Nelson Piquet, also running Pirelli tyres by the way, on his Benetton-Ford.
