Ferrari fans tipped to turn on one of their own with boos at Imola
Ferrari fans can be both incredible and brutal on home soil.
Former GP2 champion and F1 pundit Davide Vasecchi believes that Kimi Antonelli could be ‘booed’ by the Tifosi if he starts beating Ferrari drivers at Imola this weekend. The teenager is a home hero for the Italian fans, but might inflict more misery on the Scuderia’s frustrated drivers. For Ferrari, the 2025 season has been nothing short of a disaster so far. The Prancing Horse took their Constructors’ Championship fight with McLaren to the season finale in Abu Dhabi last term, but have taken a significant step backwards.
After six rounds of the campaign, Fred Vasseur’s squad sit fourth in the standings, 11 points behind third-placed Red Bull. Mercedes, on the other hand, have impressed, collecting four podiums and sitting second behind runaway leaders McLaren. Contributing to this success has been Antonelli’s rapid adaptation to F1 cars.
Related articles
The 18-year-old has already scored his first sprint race pole position and has only one Grand Prix finish lower than sixth. Despite his immense start and the deafening hype surrounding Antonelli’s rookie year, he might not be immediately adored by his home crowd.
“In Italy, you can imagine,” Valsecchi said on the F1 Nation podcast. “It’s going to be huge, and it’s also better for him because Ferrari is not performing so well. You know, in Italy, the Tifosi are strange.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
“We are all for Ferrari, and sometimes in the past, some Italian drivers in Imola, they were booed because they were beating Ferrari in the past. So, it’s better also for him that Ferrari is average at the moment, so he can have the support of all the Italian fans!”
Antonelli and team-mate George Russell will both be looking to inflict more pain on Ferrari on Sunday. According to former FIA steward Johnny Herbert, the Italian has the speed and raw talent to become an F1 great, but he needs to add one ingredient to challenge the likes of Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri at the top of the standings.
More F1: F1 team scolded for 'unacceptable' decision as radical new solution put forward
More F1: 24 Hours of Le Mans entry list confirmed as 19 ex-F1 stars take on iconic race
More F1: Hamilton unfollows Ferrari as struggling Brit repeats old tactic out of the blue
“He comes across as a very nice gentleman on the track; maybe that hardness is going to have to come into play,” Herbert explained to Fruity King. “I'm sure he's got it in a race-craft situation.
“But this is the level you've got to jump to when you're up against the likes of Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. The only thing he’s missing is that little bit more of a hardness. But that will come.”
