‘I am with Kimi now’ – Motorcycling legend Rossi on Antonelli’s 'very special' impact

Motorcycle legend Valentino Rossi believes Kimi Antonelli's journey to challenging for the Formula 1 World Championship at the age of 19 is "very special" for Italy and the Italian fans.

The Mercedes youngster leads the drivers' standings at the halfway point of the season, with 11 Grands Prix completed and another 12 to come now that the Bahrain Grand Prix is back on the schedule, hosted by Malaysia.

Antonelli is currently 50 points clear of second-placed Lewis Hamilton, and 59 ahead of his team mate George Russell in just his second F1 campaign, with the 19-year-old defying everyone's expectations especially considering the up and down nature of his rookie year.

Unsurprisingly, Antonelli's performances have captured the imagination of Italian fans with Rossi – one of the most famous Italian sportsmen having won nine World Championship titles on two wheels – similarly impressed by the 19-year-old's displays.

“You can imagine in Italy, with Ferrari, it is like a religion you know,” Rossi told Sky Sports F1.

"For sure all the Italians are happy when Ferrari win. But I am more a driver fan.

"I follow Lando [Norris], I follow Lewis [Hamilton], I follow the driver. You know, if you drive for McLaren or for Ferrari, for me it is not a big difference.

"So, I am with Kimi now. He is a great talent, he has a lot of speed and, in Italy, we never had a Formula 1 driver who can win the championship in the last 70 years, so this is very special.”

The last Italian World Champion in Formula 1 was Alberto Ascari all the way back in 1953, while the last Italian to win a race prior to Antonelli was Giancarlo Fisichella in 2006. Additionally Ferrari’s last Constructors’ title was back in 2008.

As such, the success enjoyed by Antonelli is clearly being celebrated in Italy, and the furore that will greet the teenager when Monza comes around will be a sight to behold as fans descend on the Temple of Speed.

But it appears Antonelli is not letting anything go to his head. In the press conference ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix he was asked who is more famous in Italy right now, himself or Jannik Sinner, who is the current tennis world No. 1 and Wimbledon champion.

“More famous in Italy is Charles [Leclerc], right now,” Antonelli joked. “He’s probably the most famous man in Italy.”