Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Kimi Antonelli scripted history on Sunday, becoming the youngest-ever Formula One world champion. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver achieved the feat after finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
Kimi, who is in just his second season of Formula One racing, broke the record of Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 years and 133 days old when he won the first of his four drivers’ championships in 2010.
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Kimi struggled to hold back tears as the reality of his achievement sank in. Over the team radio, the newly crowned world champion was initially lost for words before thanking Mercedes for helping him realise his dream.
“We did it! We did it!” he was heard saying, with tears mixed with laughter.
The celebrations that followed were befitting of the occasion. As Antonelli struggled to contain his emotions on the podium, Verstappen and Hamilton joined in, lifting the newly crowned champion into the air. It was a memorable sight: two of the sport’s greatest drivers celebrating the arrival of a new generation of Formula One champion.
“And I wouldn’t be here without Mercedes and without my family. I’m speechless, I’m trying to process what’s just happened,” Kimi said after the race on Sunday.
“It’s been an incredible season, and to share this podium with Max and Lewis is incredible. I look forward to more battles in the future.
“This is just the beginning,” he added.
For Antonelli, it was the culmination of a remarkable journey from a seven-year-old karting enthusiast to the summit of motorsport. For Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, it was also a moment of vindication after taking a significant gamble on an 18-year-old to replace Hamilton ahead of the 2025 season.
A SECOND SEASON TO REMEMBER
Antonelli’s championship-winning campaign has been defined by speed, consistency and an ability to deliver under pressure.
He took the lead in the drivers’ championship after the Japanese Grand Prix, the third round of the season, and established a commanding advantage over his rivals. He won five of the first six races and continued to build on that momentum as the season progressed.
By the time the championship reached Mexico, Antonelli had collected nine Grand Prix victories. He also failed to score points in only two races, on both occasions because of mechanical problems.
One of his standout performances came at Monza, where he won his home Grand Prix despite starting 19th on the grid. It was a remarkable drive that showcased the confidence and maturity he had developed since arriving in Formula One.
Antonelli entered the Mexico City Grand Prix knowing that a ninth-place finish would be enough to secure the championship, irrespective of the results of his closest challengers. He did considerably better.
After a dramatic race that included a red flag and a restart, Antonelli maintained his composure to finish third behind Verstappen and Hamilton. It was his 15th podium of the season and the one that mattered most.
The championship was sealed with four races still remaining, making him Formula One’s 36th world champion.
TOTO WOLFF’S BIG GAMBLE
When Hamilton announced his decision to leave Mercedes for Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season, the team faced a significant challenge. Replacing a seven-time world champion was never going to be straightforward.
Wolff, however, chose to look towards the future rather than make an established signing. Mercedes promoted Antonelli from its junior programme, handing the teenager a seat alongside George Russell.
It was a bold decision. Antonelli had shown extraordinary promise in the junior categories, but Formula One was an entirely different challenge. He was being entrusted with one of the most coveted seats in the sport before he had even turned 19.
Mercedes had been investing in the Italian’s development since 2019, when he joined its junior programme at the age of 12. The team had watched him collect titles across karting and the junior single-seater categories and believed he was ready for the next step.
His first season in Formula One had its share of difficult moments. There were flashes of brilliance, including a maiden podium in Canada and a second-place finish in Brazil, but also mistakes and inconsistent results. Antonelli ended his rookie campaign seventh in the drivers’ standings with 150 points and three podium finishes.
There were questions about whether the promotion had come too soon. Wolff and Mercedes, however, stood by their young driver.
The decision has now paid off spectacularly.
A RACING FAMILY
Motorsport has been part of Antonelli’s life since childhood. Born in Bologna on August 25, 2006, Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the son of Marco Antonelli, a former racing driver who owns and runs Antonelli Motorsport.
His father, who competed in Italian Superturismo and the European Touring Car Championship, was initially reluctant to see his son pursue racing professionally. Having experienced the financial difficulties associated with motorsport himself, Marco wanted to protect Kimi from similar disappointments.
However, his son’s passion was difficult to ignore.
Kimi began karting at the age of seven, racing for his father’s team. His talent soon became apparent, and he started collecting titles in the junior categories. He joined Mercedes’ junior programme in 2019, having already established himself as one of the most promising young karters in Europe.
His progression through the ranks was remarkably quick. In 2022, he won both the Italian and German Formula Four championships, recording 22 victories across the two competitions.
The following year, he won the Formula Regional European Championship and the Formula Regional Middle East Championship. In doing so, he established himself as one of the most exciting prospects in junior motorsport.
Antonelli then moved directly to Formula Two in 2024, skipping Formula Three altogether. He won two races in his debut season, including the feature race in Hungary, further strengthening Mercedes’ belief that he was ready for Formula One.
His journey from karting to the world championship has been backed by years of investment from his family and Mercedes. Wolff acknowledged the scale of that commitment after the title triumph, describing it as nine years of work involving the team and Antonelli’s parents.
A NEW CHAPTER FOR ITALY
Antonelli’s achievement carries significance beyond his individual success. He is the first Italian to win the Formula One drivers’ championship since Alberto Ascari claimed his second title in 1953, ending a 73-year wait for the country.
He is also the first world champion born in the 21st century and has achieved the feat in just his second season in the sport.
For Mercedes, the championship represents a vindication of its long-term investment in young talent. The decision to hand an 18-year-old the responsibility of replacing Hamilton was a gamble that attracted considerable scrutiny. Two seasons later, Antonelli has delivered the ultimate reward.
The celebrations in Mexico offered a fitting image of Formula One’s changing guard. Verstappen and Hamilton, drivers who have dominated the sport across different eras, stood alongside the youngster who had just reached the summit.
Antonelli had arrived in Mexico City needing one more composed performance to complete an extraordinary journey. He left as the youngest world champion in Formula One history.
At 20, he has already achieved what generations of drivers could only dream of. The challenge now is to build a legacy of his own.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
