Kimi Antonelli clear favourite to become world champion
Kimi Antonelli was just 12 when he joined the Mercedes Junior Programme in April 2019. Five years later, he was announced as a full-time driver for the Silver Arrows from the 2025 season in place of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who moved to Ferrari. The Italian’s rookie season produced his first podium, a brilliant third-place finish at the Canadian Grand Prix, but questions were…
Kimi Antonelli, a 12-year-old when he joined Mercedes' Junior Programme in 2019, is now a frontrunner to become the world champion after a stellar rookie season. After finishing third at the Canadian Grand Prix, Antonelli finished the season with 150 points. The new regulations for the 2026 season put Mercedes at an advantage, as evident from George Russell's victory in the season's opening race in Melbourne.
Antonelli, however, proved his mettle by winning five consecutive races, including the Belgian Grand Prix and his home race in Monza, where he became the youngest driver, at age 20, to secure a win at the Italian Grand Prix. With a 66-point lead over his closest rivals, Russell and Hamilton, Antonelli's performance at Monza has cemented his position as the clear favorite to win the championship.
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