Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli was eight years old when he first entered the Formula One paddock after being smuggled in by his racing driver dad inside a stack of tyres with an umbrella on top.
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The Italian, now 18, showed Reuters the photographic evidence on his mobile ahead of the sport's season launch in London.
There will be nowhere to hide when the season starts in Australia on 16 March, and the pass will be no problem, with Antonelli taking over the seat vacated by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton when he left Mercedes for Ferrari.
The youngster, who passed his driving test only last month, said he plans to follow the Briton's advice and just shut out the hype.
"He said mainly to enjoy, not worrying about the external circumstances – just work on yourself, enjoy the process. That was the main thing he said," he explained, highlighting the consistency of Hamilton's sensational 2007 rookie season.
"I think the key point is just starting on the right foot, on the right path.
"I feel like what he did really well is starting off well and then keep developing without trying to do too much. That's why he did an amazing season and that's what I'm going to try to do. So just enjoy, work hard.
"The mindset is going to be the same as always, trying to go on track and win."
Hamilton won four races in his debut season with McLaren, finishing runner-up to Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen in the championship before taking his first title one year later.
Antonelli shares the same name as the Finn but was not named after him.
Italy, home to Ferrari and the Monza and Imola circuits, has not had a Formula One world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953 and the last Italian to win a grand prix was Giancarlo Fisichella with Renault in 2006.
No Italian has competed in F1 since Antonio Giovinazzi in 2021.
"I'm not going to lie, many Italian fans or friends, they've told me 'Oh, we would like to see you in a Ferrari'. But to be honest I'm very happy where I am," said Antonelli, whose new team finished fourth last year.
"I've been with this team for so long now, since 2018, and they became my second family. I probably see more of them than my actual family.
"And I think it's going to be a good story... I think in a little bit they (Italians) will like seeing an Italian driver in a Mercedes."
Antonelli said walking into the paddock as an official driver in Melbourne was sure to feel surreal.
"I'm going to realise more and more that this is actually real," he said. "The moment where I will realise for real will be Melbourne."