The creation of the AKM Motorsport by Antonelli team has been announced, providing a route capable of bringing young drivers all the way from karting through to single seaters or GTs. As a result the team will immediately face a double commitment starting with the Italian F4 Championship powered by Abarth. Supporting the Antonelli Motorsport team are a number of important partners including Dino Chiesa’s Kart Republic (the team that launched two future world champions, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, into the world twenty years ago).

Bearing the livery of AKM Motorsport by Antonelli in karting will be Andrea Kimi Antonelli, already under the wing of Mercedes. The Emilian driver was the first to display the colors of the new team on the track when he competed in the first round of the 2020 WSK Super Master Series which took place in Adria over the previous weekend, where he distinguished himself by setting the best qualifying time in his group. He was also very fast in the various heats, claiming a first and two 2nd places before being penalised in the final heat because of a damaged front nose. Finally, a problem with the rear axle compromised the result of the pre-final and in the final (starting from the back) he finished 18th, despite having an otherwise brilliant weekend.

Returning to the AKM Motorsport by Antonelli team, team principal Marco Antonelli commented: “We want to offer young people a path that can take them as high as possible from karting, then give them the opportunity to choose the best option for them by having a supply chain that continues in single seaters and in the GT category. AKM Motorsport can be seen as a branch of the Antonelli Motorsport team and currently, in addition to karting, it will be present in Italian F4, before expanding into other series.”

With regard to the Italian F4 Championship powered by Abarth, the names of the first of the drivers who will join the team in F4 this year will be made official in a few days. The season starts on the weekend of 16th/17th May in Monza.