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Giancarlo Fisichella says he is delighted to see Kimi Antonelli take over as Italy’s most recent Formula 1 Grand Prix winner, insisting the end of a 20-year wait is something to celebrate rather than regret.
Fisichella carried Italian hopes in F1 from the mid-1990s through to the late 2000s, winning three Grands Prix across a 231-race career. His last victory came in Malaysia in 2006, making him the final Italian race winner until Antonelli’s breakthrough at the start of 2026.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson on Beyond The Grid, Fisichella’s reaction was emphatic. “I will say ‘finally!’” he said. “I'm happy about that because 20 years is too long.”
The 53-year-old praised Antonelli’s early-season surge, pointing to a run that began in China and continued with victories in Japan, Miami, Canada and Monaco. Antonelli also claimed his first three wins from pole position, adding further weight to a campaign that has rapidly shifted expectations.
“He is so clever. He's so quick,” Fisichella said. “I won three races in my life, in 231 Grands Prix. And he won already five races in just less than 30 races of his career. So, this is just great.”
Antonelli’s momentum has not gone unchecked. Reliability problems damaged his races at Barcelona-Catalunya and in Great Britain, while he was outperformed by team mate George Russell in Austria. His championship lead, once standing at 61 points, has been reduced to 25 over Russell.
Those recent setbacks have sharpened the title picture, with Mercedes also facing scrutiny after Antonelli’s Silverstone frustration, including the issues detailed in this report on how Antonelli’s British GP points loss hurt after his Silverstone setback.
Fisichella, however, remains convinced that Antonelli can fight for the crown if he manages the situation calmly.
“I think he's got a chance,” he said. “He needs to think just race by race. Not taking too much pressure.”
Fisichella also reflected on Antonelli’s uneven path to this point. He recalled the Italian’s first FP1 appearance at Monza two years ago, when he crashed, and noted that his 2025 rookie season was marked by mistakes and inconsistent performances despite three podiums.
This year, Fisichella sees a different driver: more experienced, more confident and more comfortable in the car. For Italy, the implications are significant. Alberto Ascari remains the country’s last Drivers’ Champion, back in 1953, and Fisichella made clear that the absence has been felt deeply.
“Not just a single race winner, but also the World Championship winner,” he said. “It’s too much!”
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.