Now, here is a proper racing story for you. Fresh off securing his maiden Drivers' Championship in Mexico City, Kimi Antonelli took a very special trip to the family estate of three-time champion Ayrton Senna. Bruno Senna—former F1 driver and nephew to the legendary Brazilian—opened up about the visit on the latest episode of the official podcast F1 Beyond The Grid.
The connection runs deep. Antonelli has been a massive superfan of Ayrton for a long time, famously turning up to Imola in 2024 dressed head-to-toe in Senna gear while competing in Formula 2. That dedication earned him an invitation to the family farm, where he even paid tribute at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix with a distinctive yellow and green helmet.
Once at the estate, the 20-year-old got to experience some incredible pieces of history. He spent time in the little room where Ayrton used to build aeroplane models, and he climbed into the Lotus 98T, the exact car Ayrton raced during the 1986 season. Bruno recalled how the young driver simply did not want to leave the cockpit, eagerly exploring the turbo boost knob, the anti-roll bar, and the gearstick. When his dad, Marco, questioned whether he could handle the manual car, Kimi was quick to answer: "Sure I can!". Bruno even joked about trying to organise a drive in one of these classic machines for him next year, noting that his height is a perfect fit for the car.
The visit also included some actual driving on the very go-kart track that Ayrton designed. Despite the track being extremely dirty and full of stones where straying ten centimeters meant spinning out onto the grass, Kimi was blindingly fast and brutally consistent. He managed to carve out a clean groove and stick to it lap after lap. Bruno admitted he was slower partly because he is 10kg heavier, but was quick to praise the sheer talent on display, noting that the performance "showed why he's a World Champion."
The emotional weight of the visit hit Marco Senna right as they landed, stepping out of the helicopter with teary eyes over an experience they never expected. Bruno praised how Marco instilled that passion in his son, while highlighting Antonelli's grounding character. In a paddock where it is dangerously easy for a young driver's mind to explode into ego once they reach Formula 1, Bruno expressed genuine admiration for Antonelli staying so humble. He grouped him alongside other grounded youngsters coming through the ranks like Gabi Bortoleto, Ollie Bearman, and Pierre Gasly, emphasizing just how essential it is to stay true to yourself in such a complicated world.
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