Kimi Antonelli claims Formula 1 title at 20
The Italian driver secured his first world championship by finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix, capping a season defined by regulatory changes and rapid adaptation.
By Bianca Herrera ·
Kimi Antonelli is now the youngest champion in Formula 1 history. The 20-year-old Italian secured the title on Sunday after finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix. His points total was sufficient to clinch the world championship before the final race of the season.
Antonelli’s path to the top began in 2014 at the German Grand Prix. At age seven, he was the son of sportscar racer Marco Antonelli, whose team supported a race that weekend. Lacking paddock access, the young boy hid inside a stack of tires to observe the Formula 1 action.
"I don’t even know how I fit inside the tire, but it was really tight," Antonelli recalled in 2025. "Plus, we put an umbrella on top so it wouldn’t look, you know, suspicious or anything."
His career accelerated through junior categories. After Ferrari hesitated to sign him at age 11, Antonelli joined Mercedes’ young driver program. He won multiple karting titles and moved to cars in 2021. Mercedes then appointed him as the replacement for Lewis Hamilton when the seven-time champion departed for Ferrari.
Antonelli made his Formula 1 debut at age 18. His first experience was a crash during a practice session at Monza in 2024, where he struck the barrier in front of his home fans. His rookie season in 2025 featured a record-setting pole position in Miami, but it was also marked by frequent errors. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described the driving as underwhelming during a stretch of poor results in Europe.
"I let the pressure kind of destroy me as well during that period, because I felt like I was letting down so many people who had believed in me," Antonelli admitted.
The 2026 season brought major regulatory shifts that favored Antonelli’s style. He won his debut race in China in March, starting a streak of five victories. At the Italian Grand Prix, he started 19th on the grid, overcame an engine penalty, and won the race.
Teammate George Russell noted that Antonelli’s aggressive approach suits the new hybrid power units. "With how things have fallen this year, it’s kind of the perfect driving style for these cars," Russell said. He added that Antonelli and McLaren’s Lando Norris were the strongest performers on low-grip tracks this season.
Antonelli’s name has drawn comparisons to Finnish former champion Kimi Raikkonen. His parents chose the middle name after a friend suggested it in 2006, around the time Raikkonen won the title for Ferrari. Antonelli has stated the choice was not a direct tribute but a reflection of his family’s racing background.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc praised Antonelli’s progression in September. "If I look at Kimi going through the junior ranks, I think it was quite clear for everybody that he had something very special," Leclerc said. "His laps look very much on the limit but somehow he manages to do the lap when it counts. That’s been very impressive to watch."
