Kimi Antonelli has opened up about the wisdom Roger Federer bestowed upon him during a visit to Wimbledon's Royal Box.
The 19-year-old shared that the 20-time Grand Slam champion encouraged him to keep his emotions in check as he bids to win his maiden F1 drivers' championship this season.
The Mercedes driver, who leads the standings by 25 points over team-mate George Russell after nine rounds, was a guest on Centre Court during the second week of the Championships, where he found himself seated alongside one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
"It was great. It was my first time at Wimbledon," Antonelli told media, including RacingNews365, when asked about the experience ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.
"In the past couple of years, I've got more and more into tennis. Obviously, also knowing Jannik [Sinner], then you start watching, so it was a really cool experience.
"And also, to be able to talk with Roger, it was great. He told me a lot about the grass court, and also from his previous experiences.
"It was just great to chat with him about anything, to be fair; we chatted about my races, about when he used to play, or also about his life in general. So it was great, because I think other than an incredible athlete, he's an incredible person as well; very humble and very open as well, so it was great."
Antonelli's relationship with Jannik Sinner, the current Men's World Number 1 and a fellow Italian, has helped the teenager develop an interest in tennis, but it was Federer's counsel on handling pressure that resonated most deeply as Antonelli navigates the demands of a title fight in only his second season in F1.
"About pressure, he just told me to really focus on one race at a time, just focus on what you can control, and also to control your emotions, especially the ones that can make you make mistakes, so those were the main [pieces of] advice," Antonelli added.
"But yeah, other than that, it was an incredible experience to witness."
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Nick Golding and Samuel Coop as they look ahead to this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix! The significance of Spa-Francorchamps for Ferrari in regard to its title chances is a lead talking point, as is Red Bull's rear wing.
Rather watch this episode? Then click here!
Get the latest F1 news from RacingNews365 directly in your Google feed! Click on the link below and you’ll see your favourite F1 website appearing even more often. That way, you’ll never miss any news, analyses, interviews, or exclusives.
Follow RacingNews365 on GoogleMost read
In this article
Never miss a thing from the Formula 1 season! Add the 2026 F1 schedule to your calendar at the touch of a button. Subscribe below and put the dates and times of every race directly on your PC or smartphone, so you don't miss a second from the new season.
Download the F1 calendar Download the F1 calendar
A variant with just the race and qualifying is also available.
Click here to download it..
Join the conversation!