'Mamma mia Kimi!' Italy erupts after Antonelli becomes country's 1st F1 champion in 73 years

MILAN (AP) — In the words of tennis great Jannik Sinner: “Mamma mia Kimi!”

Italy woke up on Monday rejoicing at the nation’s first Formula 1 world champion in 73 years.

Kimi Antonelli became the youngest champion in F1 history on Sunday, when the Mercedes driver finished third in the Mexico City Grand Prix to clinch the title with four races to spare.

And it doesn’t matter that the 20-year-old doesn’t drive for Ferrari — the country’s biggest racing brand, with its legions of passionate, red-clad “tifosi.”

Nearly all of Italy’s newspapers had a photo of Antonelli on the front page. Some used the picture of him on the shoulders of former champions Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, while others just had Antonelli and the Italian flag.

“Italy cried, smiled, cried with him,” La Repubblica — one of Italy’s biggest dailies — proclaimed, referring to Antonelli sobbing as he crossed the line, then celebrating the title and then crying again on the podium.

They all highlighted the fact that Antonelli is the first Italian to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

Italian champions from other sports rushed to congratulate Antonelli.

“Mamma mia Kimi, what have you managed to do!” Sinner said in a video message . “Congratulations on your first world championship … you’ve brought home something incredible. And know that the whole of Italy is proud of you.”

Motorcycling great Valentino Rossi said: “we’re all very proud of you,” while Olympic champion swimmer Federica Pellegrini added: “You’ve written a very important page in Italian sports.”

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni was also quick to offer her congratulations, posting on social media moments after Antonelli crossed the line.

“Kimi Antonelli is world champion! At just 20 years old, he achieves an extraordinary milestone, becoming the youngest world champion in the history of Formula 1,” Meloni wrote .

“A success that brings an Italian driver back to the top of the world, rewarding talent, commitment, determination, and dedication. A source of great pride for our nation.”

The Mayor of Antonelli’s hometown Bologna announced that the youngster would be awarded the Nettuno d’Oro (Golden Neptune), which is the highest civic honor awarded by the city.

More than 200 people watched the race on a big screen in a theater near where Antonelli grew up, while friends and fans gathered to cheer him on at a watch party organized at a local pub in San Marino, where the Italian currently resides.

“It brings me such great joy to have watched him grow up. Ever since he was little, he would tell me that he wanted to reach that point and he has managed to fulfill this enormous dream,” Edoardo Cristoni, a friend of Antonelli, said.

Antonelli’s friends described him as “a quiet, normal guy,” and F1 fans say that’s what makes him even more special.

“I’ve been following F1 since 1984, and never before have I been moved to tears watching a driver,” said F1 enthusiast Massimo Rosti, who was at the party in San Marino. “This guy is special. Truly.

“He’s not just a champion behind the wheel, he’s a wonderful, down-to-earth, ‘guy-next-door’ kind of person. Just fantastic.”

Highlighting how “normal” Antonelli is, was a headline in Gazzetta dello Sport — just below an even larger headline proclaiming him as legendary — with a quote from his mother, Veronica.

“He still gets pocket money every month.”

See AP’s full auto racing coverage here