Kimi Antonelli drew huge crowds at Sport in Fiera. The Bologna-born driver, who now lives in San Marino, was the star of Saturday’s event, attracting large numbers of young fans and enthusiasts to the exhibition stands and to the opening ceremony, which was attended by middle school students.
On stage alongside CONS President Christian Forcellini and Secretaries of State Rossano Fabbri and Teodoro Lonfernini, Antonelli answered questions from journalists Alessandro Alciato and Massimo Boccucci, speaking about his relationship with San Marino and, above all, his ambitions: “Becoming world champion and becoming one of the greatest drivers of all time.”
He also reflected on the role sport has played in shaping who he is. “Sport is life to me,” he told the students, “and I believe that sport, in general, has made me the person I am today. When you compete at a high level, you learn life’s core principles — respect for the people you work with and for your rivals — and you also learn to make sacrifices. Without sport, I don’t think I would have become the person I am now.”
Forcellini, Fabbri and Lonfernini all pointed to Antonelli as a positive role model for younger generations, praising his humility and professionalism. The driver embraced the crowd’s enthusiasm throughout the day, posing for photos and signing autographs before returning to the federation stands in the afternoon.
Sport in Fiera continues tomorrow with another full day of activities and exhibitions. A yoga session led by Women’s Lab will open proceedings at 9am, followed at 9.45am by a run organized by Move. From 5.20pm, the programme will honour the medal winners from the Mediterranean Games in Taranto and present the awards for the CONS 2026 Literary Competition. The day will close at 6.40pm with a concert by the Sammarinese Music Institute (Istituto Musicale Sammarinese).
