Kimi Antonelli: I dedicate the victory to Alex Zanardi

      Kimi Antonelli won the Miami Grand Prix, achieving his third consecutive victory, and in all three of these races, he started from pole position. After finishing, the 19-year-old Italian, racing for Mercedes, answered journalists' questions and mentioned that he dedicates his success to Alex Zanardi, who was a good friend of their family.

      Question: Congratulations on your victory! This race was different from the previous two in that you experienced strong pressure throughout the entire distance. How satisfied are you with your performance? Kimi Antonelli: Yes, the race was special and went quite well. You can't call it easy; a lot happened during the race. I agree that I didn't start in the best way, and I made a mistake, but then I was lucky, and events unfolded favorably for me.

      Of course, we were competing with Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris, and Lando passed me when I made a small mistake in energy usage, after which I found myself in a chasing position. Fortunately, the strategy of an earlier pit stop worked excellently, after which they were the ones chasing us. It wasn't easy, as Lando was driving fast and actively pressuring me. And I understood that I couldn't afford to make a mistake.

      Question: Tell us more about how you held off the reigning world champion's attack... Kimi Antonelli: Yes, the situation was very tense, as he had several opportunities to use the overtaking mode, and we know how effective that is. I understood that I had to act correctly, especially since the task was complicated by difficult conditions, because the rain partially washed away the layer of used rubber from the asphalt, and it was very slippery.

      Overall, I am very pleased that we managed to bring the race to a victorious finish. Of course, I must thank the team for their excellent work, and I also want to thank my family, who has been here since the beginning of the weekend.

      Question: You reported some issues with gear shifting to the team over the radio – what was that about? Kimi Antonelli: In fact, it didn't affect the car's behavior. For two or three laps, there were difficulties with downshifting, and then a couple of times I couldn't shift from seventh to eighth gear. I had to be a bit nervous, but fortunately, it only happened for a few laps, and then everything got back on track.

      Of course, it just added to the tension, as I was closely pursued, but I'm glad that this period was very short.

      Question: For the Montreal stage, your team is preparing a set of technical innovations. How confident are you in your car right now? Kimi Antonelli: I am quite confident in our car. Of course, everything is going perfectly for us right now. I hope the innovations will work as we expect, but McLaren is also preparing their next set of updates, especially since they made significant progress in Miami.

      So, we just need to keep pushing, raising the bar higher, as we see that noticeable changes occurred this weekend compared to the previous three stages of the season.

      Question: Your lead in the personal standings has already grown to 20 points. Did you expect to be leading at this stage of the championship, and how optimistic are you about your prospects this season? Kimi Antonelli: No, I didn't expect that. But I repeat, there is still a long way to go in the season, and a lot can change. Of course, George needs to perform very confidently in Canada, as he always shows high results there. However, I believe that I am also becoming more comfortable behind the wheel of our car, and I am controlling the situation better, so we will also do our best. Let's see how everything unfolds in Canada.

      Question: This was the first weekend after amendments were made to the regulations – what do you think, how well did the FIA handle this task? Are you satisfied, or do any further changes need to be made? Kimi Antonelli: Qualifying is already going better, more naturally. Speaking of races, the closing speeds are still very high, and you have to trust the guy who is defending against your attacks, as these cars with their active aerodynamics behave quite lazily when you want to change direction, so maneuvers have to be thought out in advance.

      Still, a step in the right direction has been made – let's see how events develop further.

      Question: During this weekend, we lost Alex Zanardi, who, like you, is from Bologna. When you were on your way to victory today, did you think about this driver, whose distinguishing traits were will and perseverance? Kimi Antonelli: Yes, of course. I believe this victory should be dedicated to Alex. He was a good friend of our family, so the news of his passing saddened us greatly. Today, I wanted to win also for him, as he inspired many by his example. His return to racing after that accident was simply incredible, but he managed to overcome everything, start a new life, and achieve success. For me, he was a model of a person who never gives up.