Antonelli chuckles at 'Raikkonen' confusion following triumph in China.

      "I didn’t want to accept it."

      Kimi Antonelli has expressed that he felt both puzzled and amused when he was mistakenly introduced as Kimi Raikkonen on the podium after his impressive win in China. The 19-year-old Italian, whose success has generated significant enthusiasm back home, admitted that he was momentarily unsure of how to respond when veteran F1 announcer Bob Constanduros made the gaffe. "I didn’t want to believe it," Antonelli told SportMediaset. "I was so confused that I didn’t know if I should go on the podium or not."

      Former driver and GPDA chairman Alex Wurz also found humor in the situation. "It’s hilarious, because Bob, the announcer, just made a mistake," he told ORF. "If he keeps winning, people will come to know he is Andrea Kimi Antonelli from Italy." Nevertheless, Antonelli is quickly gaining recognition in his own right, with Italian media already referring to him as the nation's new star and speculating about a future with Ferrari.

      The Mercedes driver shared that he had early interactions with the Maranello team during his childhood. "I had contact with Ferrari when I was about 10 or 11 years old," he said. "But ultimately, Mercedes came first. They wanted to take a chance—Toto Wolff reached out to us at the end of 2017. I’m very thankful to him."

      Despite the growing excitement, Antonelli claims he is remaining humble following his first Formula 1 win. "I celebrated, and I’m still savoring it," he stated. "It was my first time, and you never forget your first time. This is the most special victory of my career, so it was right to enjoy it, as I will carry this memory for the rest of my life. On Sunday night, I couldn’t sleep. I was traveling and holding onto the picture of the trophy."

      He noted that the celebrations were modest. "I had a small gathering with about 10 friends—nothing more," Antonelli mentioned. Regarding his aspirations, the young Italian is keeping his goals straightforward. "I’m not considering the title, just focusing on how to keep winning," he said.

      Antonelli also clarified the origin of his unique and unofficial middle name 'Kimi,' despite the inevitable associations with 2007 world champion Raikkonen. "My parents didn’t want a second Italian name," he explained to Bild. "They were looking for something different. A friend suggested it, they liked it—and that’s how I got it."