Andrea Kimi Antonelli Becomes Youngest F1 World Champion at 20

Andrea Kimi Antonelli won his first Formula 1 world championship at the age of 20, becoming the youngest champion in the history of the sport. The Italian Mercedes driver dominated the 2026 season and clinched the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix on November 1, 2026.

Antonelli was born on August 25, 2006, in Bologna, Italy. His father, Marco Antonelli, was a touring and GT car driver and runs the Antonelli Motorsport team. Kimi joined the Mercedes Junior Team in 2019 and became European karting champion in 2020 and 2021.

“Without my family I would not be here. It is a moment that will remain forever.”

His karting career included a serious setback. In 2020, at age 14, he broke his leg in an accident at the Portimao circuit in Portugal, suffering a tibia and metatarsal fracture that required surgery. He recovered quickly and defended his European title in 2021.

Antonelli moved to single-seater racing in 2022, winning 13 of 22 races across the German and Italian F4 series. Mercedes promoted him to Formula 2 in 2024 when he was 17, where he drove for Prema alongside Ferrari Academy driver Ollie Bearman.

At the Mexico City finish line, Antonelli cried as team principal Toto Wolff and race engineer Peter Bonnington celebrated over the radio. His parents, Veronica and Marco, also wept. Wolff told him, "You made it," while Bonnington said, "It is the first of many."

The title returned Italy to the top of Formula 1 for the first time in 73 years. The last Italian champion was Alberto Ascari, who won for Ferrari in 1953. Antonelli said he looked forward to sharing more battles with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.