Kimi Antonelli, 2026 F1 Champion: Age, Team and Wins
Kimi Antonelli is the 2026 Formula 1 world champion. He is 20, Italian and drives for Mercedes. He clinched the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix on November 1, 2026, after winning nine races this season, and at 20 he is the youngest champion in F1 history.
Last updated: November 2, 2026
Who is Kimi Antonelli?
Andrea Kimi Antonelli was born on August 25, 2006, in Bologna, Italy. He drives the No. 12 Mercedes. The name “Kimi” is his middle name. It is not a tribute to Kimi Räikkönen: a friend of the family suggested it, according to Mercedes.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
| Born | August 25, 2006, Bologna, Italy |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Team and number | Mercedes, No. 12 |
| Grands Prix entered | 43 (through the Mexico City Grand Prix) |
| Career wins | 9 (all in 2026) |
| Career podiums | 19 |
| Career poles | 7 |
| Career points | 530 |
| 2026 season (through Mexico City GP) | Champion, 380 points, 9 wins, 16 podiums, 7 poles |
Source: Formula 1 driver profile, checked before the Mexico City Grand Prix.
7 things to know about Antonelli
- He is 20. Born August 25, 2006, he is among the youngest drivers on the grid.
- He is Italian. Mercedes says he was the 85th Italian to start an F1 Grand Prix and the first since Antonio Giovinazzi in 2021.
- Racing runs in the family. His father Marco is a former racing driver who runs Antonelli Motorsport.
- Mercedes found him in karting. He joined the Mercedes Junior Programme in 2019.
- He went from rookie to leader fast. His 2025 rookie season brought three podiums and 150 points.
- 2026 is his breakout. Through the U.S. Grand Prix he had 9 wins in 18 races, 15 podiums and 7 poles.
- His teammate is his rival. George Russell is the only other driver still in the title fight with him on points.
How did Antonelli get to Mercedes?
He started karting at age seven, racing for his father’s team, and won his first kart title in 2015. Mercedes signed him to its junior programme in 2019. He moved to single-seaters in 2021 and won the Italian F4 and ADAC Formula 4 titles in 2022. In 2023 he won the Formula Regional European title. A season in Formula 2 with PREMA followed in 2024. Those details come from Mercedes.
What has Antonelli done in F1?
He made his F1 debut in Melbourne in 2025. In his rookie year he took three podiums and scored 150 points, according to Formula 1. In 2026 he became the youngest Grand Prix polesitter in F1 history in Shanghai, at 19 years, 6 months and 17 days, and won the race the next day (Mercedes).
His 2026 form has put him on top of the standings. After the U.S. Grand Prix he led George Russell by 123 points, 365 to 242, with nine wins to Russell’s three. See the full F1 standings 2026 and our title scenarios. After Mexico City he has 380 points, 119 more than Max Verstappen, which is why the title is already his.
How did Antonelli clinch the 2026 title?
Antonelli clinched the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix with four races left. Max Verstappen won the race and Lewis Hamilton finished second, and Antonelli took third, 4.006 seconds behind the winner.
That left him on 380 points, 119 ahead of Verstappen, 121 ahead of Hamilton and 130 ahead of his teammate George Russell. With no sprints left, only 100 points remain, so nobody can catch him. Full details: Mexico City GP 2026 results.
Is Antonelli the youngest world champion in F1 history?
Yes. Antonelli was 20 years and 68 days old when he clinched the title on November 1, 2026. The previous youngest champion was Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he won in 2010. See our youngest F1 world champions list.
What comes next for the champion?
Four races are left: São Paulo (November 8), Las Vegas (November 21), Qatar (November 29) and Abu Dhabi (December 6). Mercedes leads the constructors’ championship on 630 points, 126 ahead of Ferrari, with up to 172 still available, so Antonelli can still help the team seal that title. Check every start time in our F1 schedule 2026.
Kimi Antonelli: frequently asked questions
Kimi Antonelli is an Italian Formula 1 driver for Mercedes. He is the 2026 world champion.
Antonelli was born on August 25, 2006, so he is 20.
He was born and raised in Bologna, Italy.
He drives the No. 12 car for Mercedes. He joined the Mercedes Junior Programme in 2019 and made his F1 debut in 2025.
Nine Grand Prix wins in 2026 through the Mexico City Grand Prix, all with Mercedes.
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