Kimi Antonelli facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kimi Antonelli
Antonelli at the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix
Born	Andrea Kimi Antonelli (2006-08-25) 25 August 2006 (age 20) Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Parent(s)	Marco Antonelli (father)
Awards	Full list
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Italian
Car number	12
Entries	5 (5 starts)
Championships	1 (2026)
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	38
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	1
First entry	2025 Australian Grand Prix
First win	2026 Chinese Grand Prix
Last win	2026 United States Grand Prix
Last entry	2025 Singapore Grand Prix
2025 position	7th (150 pts)
Championship titles
FR European FR Middle East ADAC F4 Italian F4
Medal record Formula racing Representing  Italy FIA Motorsport Games 2022 Le Castellet F4 Cup
Signature

Andrea Kimi Antonelli is a famous Italian racing driver. He drives fast cars in Formula One for the Mercedes racing team. In 2026, Antonelli became the youngest World Drivers' Champion in history at age 20. He is also the first Italian champion in 73 years.

Antonelli began driving go-karts when he was very young. He won many junior trophies across Europe and North America. Later, he climbed through smaller single-seater series like Italian F4, ADAC F4, and FIA Formula 2. His great speed earned him a spot on the Mercedes Junior Team when he was only twelve years old. He replaced champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025.

Today, Antonelli holds many records in motorsport. He is the youngest polesitter and the youngest driver to set a fastest lap. He also won a gold medal for Italy at the FIA Motorsport Games. Antonelli has proven that hard work, learning, and practice can lead to championship dreams.

Who Is Kimi Antonelli? Early Life and Family Background

Antonelli is the son of sportscar racing driver and team owner Marco Antonelli.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli was born on 25 August 2006 in Bologna, a city in northern Italy. He grew up nearby in a town named Casalecchio di Reno. Racing was part of his life right from the start. His father, Marco Antonelli, is a professional sportscar racing driver. Marco founded the racing team Antonelli Motorsport in 1993 and later ran AKM Motorsport. His team won the 2018 Italian GT Championship. His mother, Veronica Pomaro, worked for the Italian postal service Poste Italiane before joining the family motorsport business. Kimi also has a younger sister named Maggie.

People often ask about his name. His middle name is Kimi, which sounds like famous Finnish racing star Kimi Räikkönen. Räikkönen won the 2007 Formula One World Championship. However, Antonelli's family explained that a family friend named Enrico Bertaggia suggested the name. His father simply wanted a foreign name to go with Andrea. At school, Antonelli studied international relations and marketing at the ITCS Gaetano Salvemini school. He learned to speak English during race weekends across the world. He also learned German after joining the Mercedes Junior Team.

Childhood Heroes and Passions

Before he started racing, his father wanted him to try football. Antonelli enjoyed soccer, but his true love was cars and engines. While growing up, he loved watching old DVD races of Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna. Senna won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship three times and became his ultimate sports role model. Antonelli also cheered for Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi. When he was just nine years old, his father let him steer a Lamborghini Super Trofeo race car while his dad worked the pedals.

How Antonelli Started in Karting (2014–2021)

Antonelli first tried kart racing when he was five years old at Galliano Park in Forlì. By age seven, he was entering official kart races. In 2014, he joined a sports camp held by the Automobile Club d'Italia. There, a talent scout named Giovanni Minardi, son of Giancarlo, noticed his natural driving rhythm. He soon signed Antonelli to his management group.

In 2015, Antonelli drove for Birel ART in the Easykart spec series, where all drivers use matching engines. He won the 60 cc Trofeo Italia championship. At the International Grand Final, he started twenty-first on the starting grid and overtook every single driver to win. He also reached the WSK Final Cup event in the 60 Mini kart class.

Becoming an International Kart Star

In 2016, Antonelli raced for the famous Tony Kart team. He collected podium finishes in the Italian Cup and the Trofeo delle Industrie. By 2017, he finished on the podium at the WSK Super Master Series. He also won a round of the Italian Championship at Battipaglia.

His stellar results caught the attention of Formula One scouts. In early 2018, he joined the Mercedes Junior Team. Racing for Energy Corse, he conquered the WSK Champions Cup, the South Garda Winter Cup, and the ROK Cup International Final. He finished second in the Italian Championship behind Martinius Stenshorne.

Stepping Up to Junior Karts

Antonelli moved up to OK-Junior in 2019, which is the top international class for drivers under 15 years old. He drove for former world champion Nico Rosberg's team, the Rosberg Racing Academy. That year, Antonelli won six major kart titles. These included the South Garda Winter Cup, WSK Super Master Series, WSK Euro Series, WSK Open Cup, and WSK Final Cup. He also took his very first Italian Championship.

He entered the premier European and World Championships. In the European Championship, he finished second to Marcus Amand after taking the final race win at Le Mans. He also journeyed to North America. There, he took second behind Brent Crews at the SKUSA SuperNationals and won every single race in the SKUSA Winter Series.

Dominating Senior Karts and Overcoming Injuries

Antonelli stepped into the adult Original Kart (OK) category in 2020 at only 13 years old. He drove for Kart Republic. Despite competing against older racers, he won the WSK Euro Series and the Italian Championship. He became the youngest senior European Champion two weeks after his 14th birthday.

During the World Championship final at Portimão, heavy rain caused poor track vision. Antonelli collided with the kart of Maya Weug. He broke his left leg tibia and metatarsus. Despite this painful setback, the Commission Internationale de Karting named him "Rookie of the Year".

In 2021, he raced in the powerful KZ shifter category, which uses manual gear levers. It was physically demanding, especially while recovering his leg strength for hard braking. He aimed to beat the record set by Max Verstappen as the youngest KZ world champion. Antonelli qualified on pole position for the heats and finished fifteenth overall. He defended his senior OK European Championship crown with five race wins. Motorsport magazines noted that Antonelli drove like a future world champion.

Junior Formulae Racing: Learning Single-Seaters

After go-karts, drivers move into small open-wheel formula cars. These cars have open cockpits, wings for downforce, and sticky slick tyres.

Formula 4 Victories and Records (2021–2022)

Antonelli debuted in the 2021 Italian F4 Championship at the Red Bull Ring.

Antonelli made his car racing debut in late 2021 in the 2021 Italian F4 Championship. He drove for Prema at the Red Bull Ring in Austria, just three weeks after turning 15. Before this, he tested with AKM Motorsport and attended a young driver camp with Ferrari Driver Academy at Fiorano. He scored points right away. At the final round at Monza, he fought wheel-to-wheel with champion Oliver Bearman and scored three podiums.

Antonelli dominated Italian F4 in 2022 with a then-record 13 victories.

In 2022, Antonelli tackled three different Formula 4 competitions. He started with the F4 UAE Championship. He stood in for Rafael Câmara, who was resting with an illness, and won two races right away.

Then came his full season in the 2022 Italian F4 Championship. After early car troubles at Imola, Antonelli was nearly unstoppable. He won two races at Misano, swept all three races at Spa-Francorchamps, and took three rare grands chelems at Vallelunga. A grand chelem means winning from pole position while leading every single lap and setting the fastest lap. He won the title at Mugello and broke the series record with 13 victories in one year.

Antonelli further claimed the ADAC F4 title, followed by a gold medal at the FIA Motorsport Games.

At the same time, he drove in the German ADAC Formula 4. Antonelli swept the entire weekend at the Hockenheimring, took wins at Zandvoort, and conquered the championship at the Nürburgring.

To finish off 2022, Antonelli drove for Team Italy at the FIA Motorsport Games at Paul Ricard. Even though he injured his left wrist during qualifying, he endured the pain and won the gold medal in the Formula 4 Cup.

Formula Regional Double Champion (2023)

Antonelli won both the European and Middle East Championships in his first season of Formula Regional.

In 2023, Antonelli stepped up to Formula Regional machinery. These cars are heavier and faster than F4 cars. He began in the winter with the Middle East Championship for Mumbai Falcons. He scored three wins at Kuwait and Dubai. At the final round at Yas Marina, he defeated rival Taylor Barnard to secure the championship.

Antonelli became the first European to win multiple F3-level championships in a year since Alain Prost in 1979.

Next came the tough 2023 Formula Regional European Championship with Prema. Journalists at Autosport and La Gazzetta dello Sport compared his speed to past legends like Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen, and Max Verstappen.

Antonelli gathered podiums at Barcelona and won at Spa-Francorchamps. He collected further victories at Mugello, Paul Ricard, and Monza. He sealed the European title at Zandvoort with a 12-second win in heavy rain. Antonelli was the first driver since Alain Prost in 1979 to win multiple F3-tier titles in a single season.

Racing in FIA Formula 2 (2024)

Antonelli (pictured in Spielberg) progressed to FIA Formula 2 with Prema in 2024.

Antonelli was so quick that he skipped regular Formula 3 completely. He jumped straight into FIA Formula 2 for 2024 with Prema, partnering Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman. Formula 2 cars produce well over 600 horsepower and use ground effect aerodynamics.

The team took time to understand the car setup in early rounds at Sakhir and Jeddah. But Antonelli kept improving, scoring top finishes in Melbourne, Imola, and Monaco. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff encouraged him to keep pushing.

Antonelli took his maiden F2 victory at the rain-affected Silverstone round.

His breakthrough came at the Silverstone Circuit in England. In terrible rain with multiple safety car periods, Antonelli controlled his car calmly to claim his first Formula 2 victory.

Two weeks later in Budapest, he won the feature race using smart tire choices. At Spa, he pulled off a daring pass against Franco Colapinto through the fearsome Eau Rouge corner. Antonelli finished his rookie season sixth in the standings with 113 points and two wins.

Formula One Career with Mercedes

Mercedes had tracked Antonelli since he was twelve. In 2024, he tested older Formula One cars like the W12 and W13 at famous tracks including the Silverstone Circuit and Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

He made his public practice debut at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix in George Russell's W15. Antonelli drove with blistering pace right away. However, he pushed too hard and spun into the barriers at the famous Curva Alboreto corner at Monza. The crash measured a massive 52 g-force. Team principal Toto Wolff supported him, praising his raw speed. He took part in another session at the Mexico City Grand Prix and completed post-season testing in Abu Dhabi.

2025: Breaking Records as an 18-Year-Old Rookie

Antonelli (pictured at the Japanese Grand Prix) debuted in Formula One with Mercedes in 2025, aged 18.

When seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton moved to Ferrari, Mercedes selected Antonelli to race alongside George Russell for 2025. Antonelli made his debut at the Australian Grand Prix. At 18 years and 203 days old, he became the third-youngest starter in F1 history and the first Italian driver on the grid since Antonio Giovinazzi. In a wet race, he drove from sixteenth to fourth place, making him the second-youngest points-scorer ever.

Records fell quickly during his rookie season:

• At the Japanese Grand Prix, he became the youngest driver ever to lead a lap and the youngest to set a fastest lap.
• He earned pole position for the Miami sprint race.
• At the Canadian Grand Prix, Antonelli finished third, becoming the third-youngest podium finisher in Formula One.

Antonelli (pictured at the Italian Grand Prix) achieved three podiums and became the highest-scoring rookie in Formula One history.

Antonelli collected more podium finishes in Brazil and Las Vegas. At the São Paulo Grand Prix, he fought bravely against Lando Norris and defended against champion Max Verstappen to finish second. In Las Vegas, he rose from seventeenth to the podium in wet weather. Antonelli finished his rookie campaign seventh overall with 150 points, setting a new record for the most points by an F1 rookie.

2026: Youngest World Drivers' Champion in History

Antonelli became the youngest polesitter before taking his maiden victory at the Chinese Grand Prix in 2026.

Formula One introduced major car rule changes for the 2026 season, focusing on new engines and chassis designs. Mercedes built a fast car called the W17, featuring an efficient energy recovery system. Antonelli took full advantage of the competitive machine.

At the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, Antonelli became the youngest polesitter in Formula One history at 19 years old, beating the record previously held by Sebastian Vettel. He followed up by winning the Grand Prix, becoming the second-youngest Grand Prix winner.

He followed that win with another victory in Japan, becoming the youngest World Drivers' Championship leader. He then took the top spot at the Miami Grand Prix and won the Canadian Grand Prix after an intense duel with teammate Russell.

Antonelli became the youngest World Drivers' Championship leader and led by 81 points after the European season.

The jewel of the calendar came at the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix. Antonelli drove an astonishing lap in qualifying to beat Max Verstappen to pole position. In the race, he led every single lap and recorded the fastest lap, scoring his first grand chelem. It made him the youngest driver to win in the streets of Monaco. He became the first driver to score five consecutive victories right after his first win.

He continued winning across Europe, taking victories at the Belgian Grand Prix and the Spanish Grand Prix. But his most emotional victory happened at Monza. Antonelli received an engine penalty and started nineteenth on the grid. He carved his way through the field, overtaking Verstappen and Russell to win. He was the first Italian driver to win the Italian Grand Prix in 60 years.

Aged 20, Antonelli (left) continued his dominance and became the youngest World Drivers' Champion with four rounds left.

Antonelli won again at the 2026 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. At the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, he fought past Charles Leclerc to finish on the podium. That result officially crowned Andrea Kimi Antonelli as the 2026 Formula One World Drivers' Champion. At just 20 years old, he broke Sebastian Vettel's record by over three years, becoming the youngest champion ever. He is the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

Staying with Mercedes for 2027

Antonelli has signed to stay with Mercedes for the 2027 season alongside Russell. Although champions can use the car number 1, Antonelli chose to keep his lucky personal racing number 12.

Other Racing Adventures and Sports Cars

Antonelli won his debut sportscar race at the 2023 Italian GT3 Championship, driving the pictured Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

Antonelli loves driving all kinds of high-speed vehicles. In May 2023, he tried sportscar racing with his father's AKM Motorsport team in the 2023 Italian GT Championship. He drove a powerful Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo at Misano. Starting from pole position, he won his very first GT3 race. He later helped test the Mercedes-AMG GT2 Edition W16 track car, which carries his personal signature on the doors.

Life Outside Formula One

Antonelli at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix

Even while racing around the world, Antonelli focused on completing his education. He studied online for his Italian high school diploma, the maturità, during his first season in Formula One. He passed his regular road driving test just six weeks before his Formula One debut.

Antonelli races with number 12 because it was the number used by his idol, Ayrton Senna. His racing helmet is painted in Savoy blue with green, white, and red stripes to represent the national colours of Italy. Outside racing, Antonelli loves Italian sports. He is a big fan of association football club Bologna and watches the Virtus Bologna basketball team. He also admires Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner and motorcycle icon Valentino Rossi. In the future, he hopes to learn about automotive design and architecture.

He acted as Matteo in the Italian racing film Italian Race in 2016. In 2025, Netflix released a documentary film about his racing life called The Seat, directed by Kyle Thrash. In 2026, he carried the Olympic flame as an official torchbearer ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Awards and Honours

• Formula One World Drivers' Championship Winner: 2026
• Lorenzo Bandini Trophy: 2026
• Time 100 Next: 2026
• Automobile Club d'Italia Volante d'Oro: 2022
• Automobile Club d'Italia Volante d'Argento: 2023
• Pirelli Ruotino d'Oro: 2023
• Silver Medal of Athletic Valour: 2020, 2021
• FIA Karting Rookie of the Year: 2020

Racing Record and Championship Summaries

Junior Single-Seater Career Summary

Formula One Records Set by Antonelli

See also

In Spanish: Andrea Kimi Antonelli para niños