Bernie Ecclestone: Ferrari must sign Kimi Antonelli now

Bernie Ecclestone says Ferrari must sign Kimi Antonelli and predicts future move from Mercedes.

The former Formula 1 chief, now 96, believes the connection between the Italian driver and the Scuderia is too strong to ignore.

He told F1-Insider: “Ferrari has no choice, it must sign him.”

Ecclestone added: “Kimi’s heart beats for Italy, and if he continues winning – and I am convinced he will – he will move to Ferrari out of love for his country.”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli just became Formula 1’s newest world champion at 20 years old.

He clinched the title at the Mexican Grand Prix, finishing third behind winner Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

But that victory almost never happened.

Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord revealed that Antonelli’s engine had a cracked oil pan during the race.

“If you want a sign that this is Kimi’s year, we retrieved the car after the race and removed the underside, which was covered in oil,” Lord said.

“The oil pan cracked, and Kimi says he thinks with about four laps to go, he could feel the engine just starting to struggle.”

Antonelli was on the verge of retiring from the race, yet he held on and secured enough points to become champion.

Now speculation about his long-term future is intensifying.

Piero Ferrari has also expressed his dream of seeing Antonelli race for the Scuderia following the Italian’s championship triumph.

Ecclestone’s prediction comes with a striking comparison.

Speaking separately to RacingNews365, he compared Antonelli to Max Verstappen, suggesting the newly crowned champion possesses the same relentless determination.

There was a moment nine years ago when Antonelli and Ferrari could have come together.

Then-team principal Maurizio Arrivabene was reluctant to invest in a driver who was just 11 years old.

Mercedes took advantage of the opportunity, signing Antonelli to their junior program.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Arrivabene has since explained why Ferrari passed on Antonelli at such a young age.

But Ecclestone is convinced the two parties will eventually come together.

For now, Antonelli remains a Mercedes driver.

Ecclestone’s comments represent his personal expectation rather than a confirmed transfer.

The world champion has previously addressed the possibility of racing for Ferrari.

He made clear that his immediate focus remains on succeeding with Mercedes while not ruling out a move later in his career.

Antonelli is currently in Brazil ahead of this weekend’s São Paulo Grand Prix.

He paid a visit to Ayrton Senna’s nephew and nieces, describing it as an “unforgettable day.”

Senna has long been the guiding inspiration behind Antonelli’s career.

The Italian grew up on stories of the three-time champion and has idolised him since childhood.

That tribute is reflected in his choice of race number.

Antonelli carries number 12, the number Senna used for part of his own career, and will keep it again next season purely to honour him.

Upon arriving in Brazil after becoming world champion in Mexico City, Antonelli travelled with his father Marco to spend time with Bruno, Bianca and Paula Senna.

The new world champion shared a photo on Instagram of himself sitting in the legendary Lotus 98T, the car in which Senna won the Spanish and Detroit Grands Prix in 1986.