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Michael Schumacher made Mercedes chairman ‘hate’ one F1 tradition until Kimi Antonelli came along

Mercedes chairman Ola Kallenius has revealed how he used to ‘hate’ one F1 tradition because of Michael Schumacher until Kimi Antonelli arrived on the scene.…

F1 Oversteer

Published: Thursday, 5 November 2026 at 7:00 PM

Key Things to Know

Mercedes chairman Ola Kallenius previously hated the Italian and German anthem combination due to Michael Schumacher's Ferrari success.
Kallenius now embraces the tradition following Kimi Antonelli's race victories and 2026 championship win with Mercedes.
Kallenius praised Antonelli's remarkable professionalism and organization after speaking with the 20-year-old driver.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Mercedes chairman Ola Kallenius revealed he previously hated hearing the Italian and German national anthems played together during Michael Schumacher’s dominant era with Ferrari. However, Kallenius explained that Kimi Antonelli’s title-winning success with Mercedes has completely changed his perspective on the podium tradition, turning it into something he now loves.

Speaking on the OMR Podcast alongside Toto Wolff, Kallenius praised the 20-year-old Italian’s exceptional maturity and organization following his 2026 championship victory. Antonelli has already secured nine race wins with Mercedes, placing him within reach of Sebastian Vettel's 14 wins under the same anthem pairing.

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Michael Schumacher made Mercedes chairman ‘hate’ one F1 tradition until Kimi Antonelli came along

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