Kimi Antonelli did not just win a race. He won the whole world championship with four rounds left to go. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver clinched the title on Sunday in Mexico. He did it by proving the people who said he was too young were wrong. Antonelli used their doubt as fuel to push harder. Now he is the champion, and the critics have nothing left to say.
He made his debut last year at just 18. It was a rough start. He failed to score points in seven out of nine races during a bad stretch. But he learned fast. This year he beat his teammate George Russell to the top spot. He finished with nine grand prix wins. That is the most of any driver this season. Per RaceFans, he said those early struggles made him ready for the big moments.
Doubters Became the Fuel
People questioned if he belonged in Formula 1. Some said he should have gone to a smaller team first. They pointed to his tears at the Spa race and his early mistakes. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff told Sky Sports F1 that sponsors even left because of the fear. But the team stayed with him. Now they reap the full reward.
Antonelli admits the noise helped him. “It’s always good to shut off some of the noise,” said Antonelli. He explained that the doubt actually added fire to his drive. “I think in many ways it does help to add fuel to the fire, the fact that some people said that I didn’t belong in Formula 1 or I wasn’t ready for it.” He faced the hard times last year and grew up fast. That growth was the key to his win this year.
Wolff noted how the young Italian changed the whole team vibe. “He obviously has a very winning way in the team. We’re dealing with very stiff, unemotional English people,” Wolff told Sky Sports F1. The German boss watched the Italian boy hug everyone in the garage. Now, even the Brits are hugging each other, which Wolff admits is weird to see. That change in mood matters just as much as the points on the track.
Staying Grounded With Number 12
Most new champions switch to the number one car next year. Lando Norris did it when he won. But Antonelli will not. He will keep his number 12. He said it is a special number for him. It also keeps him humble. “I’ll stay with number 12 because, obviously, it’s a very special number for me,” he said.
He has a reason to stick with it beyond just luck. He is very superstitious and admits the number one has never been good for him in the past. Whenever he used it, things went badly.
History is on his side with this choice. Since Ayrton Senna in 1988, no other driver has secured the world title using number 12 until now, when he became the first to do so. Both drivers scored their first grand prix wins with that same number. Antonelli plans to honor Senna at the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend. He will wear a special helmet to mark 35 years since Senna won his home race in sixth gear.