In a two-year Formula 1 career already defined by broken records, wunderkind performances, and a whopping five-race win streak, breakout star Kimi Antonelli is staking his claim as the next big thing in competitive motorsports

BY ERIK SCHONING

There are people who might get nervous when a 19-year-old climbs behind the wheel. Fans of Formula 1’s Kimi Antonelli, however, get excited. The breakout star of the past two F1 seasons, Antonelli’s career is already miles ahead of most young drivers. The son of Italian racer Marco Antonelli, Kimi practically grew up in the cockpit, dominating youth karting before signing with Mercedes’ Junior Team in 2019 at just 12 years old. The move drew inevitable comparisons to Lewis Hamilton joining McLaren in 1998. Then, in one of sport’s more poetic twists, Antonelli joined Mercedes in 2025, filling the seat vacated by Hamilton. “I don’t find it right to say that I’m his replacement,” Antonelli said at the team’s 2025 season launch. “He has done so much in the sport. I just feel like the next Mercedes driver, and I really want to make my own story.”

He certainly has. Antonelli passed his driving test just six weeks before his Formula 1 debut, completed his high school exams during his rookie season, and became the highest-placed F1 debutant since 2014.

True greats don’t overthink – they perform. In a 2024 interview with FIA Formula 2, Antonelli described the flow state that has become his greatest strength on track. “It’s the best feeling honestly, especially when you drive naturally,” he said. “Your mind is fully free, you’re just focused and there’s nothing else in your head. Everything comes super easy, and you have the best performance.”

If 2025 introduced Antonelli to the world, 2026 has established him as Formula 1’s newest superstar. With 179 points and five consecutive victories, he became the youngest driver ever to lead the championship standings, surpassing another record previously held by Lewis Hamilton. Even setbacks have revealed his competitive edge. After a steering malfunction ended his British Grand Prix, Antonelli still urged his team to keep him on track in hopes of salvaging even a single point. “[He] really isn’t going to let any little thing go, which is the attitude you need if you want to win this championship,” driver and TV host Naomi Schiff said on the Up to Speed podcast. As Antonelli continues one of Formula 1’s truly historic campaigns, he proves that talent is plentiful, but a champion’s mindset is far rarer.

Kimi Antonelli — @kimi.antonelli