Steiner: Antonelli Will Drive for Ferrari — Just Not Yet

Guenther Steiner is convinced Kimi Antonelli will race for Ferrari one day, but believes the move is still years away. The former Haas team principal told RacingNews365 it is a question of when, not if, the Italian prodigy ends up at Maranello.

Why it matters:

Antonelli's rise has reignited an old Italian obsession — an Italian champion driving a Ferrari. With the 20-year-old knocking on the door of a first title and Ferrari still chasing its first drivers' crown since 2007, the pairing feels inevitable, if not immediate.

The details:

• Antonelli is locked to Mercedes through at least the end of 2027 after the team exercised an option on his contract.
• Steiner sees the timing of his arrival alongside F1's new technical regulations as ideal.
  • "In motorsport, especially F1, you need to be at the right place at the right time, and he's hit that," he said.
• Mercedes' early dominance has faded, but Steiner argued that is actually healthy for the youngster's development.
  • "It means he cannot be told 'just win because you have the best machine.'"
• On the Ferrari question, Steiner was blunt: "He could go tomorrow if he wants. They will get him."

Between the lines:

Steiner framed a Ferrari switch as a decade-long proposition rather than a short-term play. "As an Italian with this talent, at some stage he will drive for Ferrari," he said. But with a winning car underneath him and a contract in hand, there is little reason for Antonelli to rush.

What's next:

For now, the focus stays on converting his championship charge with Mercedes, where Steiner expects him to keep stacking up titles.