How Kimi Antonelli went from a kid hiding in a stack of tires to F1’s youngest champion

In the 2026 Formula One season, 20-year-old Kimi Antonelli surprised many by emerging as the sport's youngest world champion. Although few predicted it at the beginning, Antonelli's journey to the top was marked by six pivotal races.

The first defining race was the Chinese Grand Prix, held on March 15. Antonelli, who had followed his teammate George Russell over the finish line in the season-opener in Australia, made history by becoming the youngest driver to take pole position. He then went on to win his first grand prix, marking the second youngest F1 victory in history, behind Max Verstappen.

Antonelli continued his winning streak in May when he raced in Canada. Following three successive wins, he joined Russell in Montreal. While Russell struggled all season, he managed to secure a sprint victory and pole position. However, as usual, Antonelli edged out his teammate, extending his lead with four wins in five races.

Two weeks later, in Monaco, Antonelli once again started from pole, adding a sixth consecutive win to his tally. Nevertheless, his victory was partially due to Russell's misfortune. After being penalized for speeding in the pit lane, Russell's Mercedes suffered further when the mechanics worked on the car before the penalty time elapsed, costing him valuable points.

In September, Antonelli faced a slump, winning only one out of the next six races. However, his performance in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza sealed the title. Starting from 19th due to an engine penalty, Antonelli outpaced Russell, becoming the first Italian to win the race since 1960. Russell, eight years his senior, finished second.

Another street circuit in Baku presented another challenge for Antonelli. Prangging his car into a wall during qualifying, he started from 16th. Despite this, he managed to secure a fifth-place finish, further narrowing the gap between himself and Russell.

The final race, the Bahrain GP relocated to Malaysia, saw Antonelli finish second behind Verstappen. Russell, who was running third at the time, was forced to retire just a few laps from the finish, effectively ending his bid to challenge Antonelli. This left Antonelli with an 84-point lead, signaling a new era in Formula One and confirming him as the world champion.