A world champion but 'one of us' – a city's pride in Antonelli

As Kimi Antonelli becomes F1 world champion, the people of Bologna hail their hometown hero. Manuel Fantini's eyes are wide with excitement. There's a broad grin on his face. Fantini is recalling the first time he saw Kimi Antonelli behind the wheel of a car – well, a go-kart. "When I first saw him, I said: 'Mamma mia, chi diavolo è questo?' In English that means, 'Oh Mama, who the hell is this one?'" "He was six years old. When you go to the track for the first time, it's normal you go too fast and take turns the wrong way. "But he was improving with each lap, like he'd known the track for years.

At the end of that day, he was faster than the others and with a kart slower than them. Absurd! Incredible!" Fantini is speaking to BBC Sport in a small cafe in Forli, Bologna. The autumnal sun creates a glare as the light bounces off the sign of the adjacent racetrack – Galliano Park. Owned by the Fantini family for almost 30 years, it's where Antonelli first climbed into a go-kart. It had to be adapted because he wasn't tall enough to reach the throttle or brake pedals. "His priority was being better – not being faster," says Fantini. "That is the key in motorsport