Kimi Antonelli F1 Profile & Career Stats

Kimi Antonelli (2025)

​Born on August 25, 2006, in Bologna, Italy, Andrea Kimi Antonelli's journey to the pinnacle of motorsport is a testament to his prodigious talent and relentless drive. As the son of Marco Antonelli, a seasoned sports car racer and founder of AKM Motorsport, Kimi was immersed in the racing world from a young age. His middle name, 'Kimi', was chosen by his father, inspired by a desire for a distinctive, international flair, rather than directly referencing the Finnish F1 champion, Kimi Räikkönen.

Karting Prodigy

Kimi's racing odyssey commenced at the tender age of seven. He swiftly ascended the karting ranks, clinching numerous titles, including the WSK Champions Cup, South Garda Winter Cup, and ROK Cup International Final in 2018. His prowess caught the attention of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, leading to his induction into their Junior Programme in April 2019 at just 12 years old.

Dominance in Formula 4

Transitioning to single-seaters, Kimi made an indelible mark in the Formula 4 arena. In 2022, he dominated both the Italian and ADAC F4 Championships, securing the Italian title with 13 victories out of 20 races and the German title with nine wins out of 15 races. His fierce rivalry with teammate Rafael Câmara added a thrilling dimension to the season.

Conquering Formula Regional

The year 2023 saw Kimi elevate his game in the Formula Regional circuit. He clinched the Formula Regional Middle East Championship with Mumbai Falcons, showcasing his adaptability across diverse circuits. Subsequently, he dominated the Formula Regional European Championship with Prema Racing, amassing five wins and securing the title with a substantial points margin.

Kimi's trajectory continued upward as he joined Prema Racing for the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship. Demonstrating remarkable consistency and speed, he achieved two race victories and concluded the season sixth overall—a commendable feat for a rookie.

Formula 1 Breakthrough with Mercedes

In a landmark announcement on August 31, 2024, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team confirmed Kimi Antonelli as their driver for the 2025 season, succeeding the illustrious Lewis Hamilton. Team Principal Toto Wolff expressed confidence in Kimi's raw talent and the synergy with teammate George Russell, marking a new chapter for the Silver Arrows.

His 2025 season started with a great recovery drive in Australia, going from 16th to 4th in a race with changing conditions.

Antonelli's rookie season included rough patches and some great drives. Throughout the year, the debate for the best rookie of the year included Antonelli, Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar and Haas' Oliver Bearman.

The Italian started in Pole Position for the Sprint in Miami and achieved his first F1 podium in Canada, with a third place.

However, that podium was his only point-scoring finish in a span of seven races.

His year finished in a better way, with a couple of Top 5 finishes in Azerbaijan and Singapore giving him confidence for the end of the season. In Sao Paulo and Las Vegas, Antonelli finished on the podium, securing the best finish of his career in Brazil (second place).

In the penultimate race, in Qatar, Antonelli finished fifth after losing a place to championship-leader Lando Norris. The British driver desperately needed those two points and forced Antonelli into a mistake.

The Red Bull camp pointed the finger at the Italian driver, with title contender Max Verstappen's race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, and Helmut Marko protesting the action.

Lots of negative social media comments went Antonelli's way after Qatar, but Red Bull backtracked from the accusations.

Eventually, Norris beat Verstappen in the title fight by two points.

Race-winner and championship leader in second season

Formel 1 - Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, Großer Preis von China 2026. Kimi Antonelli
Formula One - Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, 2026 Chinese GP. Kimi Antonelli

Antonelli started 2026 with a second place in a Mercedes 1-2 at Australia. Then, he grabbed Pole Position for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix and won the race on March 15.

It was the first win for an Italian since Giancarlo Fisichella in the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Then, he won the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix from Pole Position to become the youngest driver to lead the World Drivers' Championship in F1 history.

A third consecutive win from Pole, this time at the 2026 Miami GP, saw Antonelli strengthen his lead in the championship.

Achieving a third win in a row for his third career win equalled champions Damon Hill (1993) and Mika Hakkinen (1997-98) as the only drivers who took their first three wins consecutively.

In the following race, he established a new record, becoming the first driver to take his first four F1 wins consecutively. Antonelli won the 2026 Canadian GP after a great battle with his teammate, before Russell's car broke down.

Antonelli became the youngest winner of the Monaco GP after taking his fifth career win, and his fifth in a row.

His streak ended in the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, where he qualified third and was running second late in the race when his car failed.

Antonelli went three races without winning, suffering mechanical issues in his car twice. Then, he took a solid win in the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix and closed out the first half of the season with third in the Hungarian GP.

He ended the first half with a 50-point lead in the drivers' standings, ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton.

Antonelli started the second half of the season with a second place in the 2026 Dutch Grand Prix, having led 32 laps. Ultimately, he lost out to McLaren's Lando Norris and settled for second.

It was his 10th podium of 2026 and the 13th of his young career, tying the tally of 1970 champion Jochen Rindt and Ferrari legend Gilles Villeneuve, among others (Francois Cevert, Didier Pironi and Nick Heidfeld).

Personal Insights

Beyond the racetrack, Kimi is known for his humility and dedication. He pursued studies in International Relations and Marketing at ITCS Gaetano Salvemini in Casalecchio di Reno, balancing academics with his racing commitments. An ardent admirer of Ayrton Senna, Kimi chose the number 12 for his Formula 1 career, reflecting his deep respect for the Brazilian legend.

As Kimi Antonelli embarks on his Formula 1 journey with Mercedes, the motorsport community eagerly anticipates the impact of this young prodigy on the world's premier racing stage.