Kimi Antonelli etched his name into the Formula One record books as world champion and as a deserved and popular winner whose verve and extraordinary skill has been thrilling to watch, turning what many thought might have been an unlikely title tilt into a triumphant march, sealed with tears of joy at the Mexican Grand Prix.
In taking his debut F1 title for Mercedes, the 20-year-old Antonelli, with his tousled hair and charming boyish looks, is the youngest driver to claim the sport’s crown and the first Italian to do so since Alberto Ascari won in 1953. It is Mercedes’ first drivers’ championship since Hamilton last won in 2020 and the team’s 10th.
