Twenty-year-old Kimi Antonelli is on the verge of becoming the youngest-ever Formula 1 World Champion in just his second season in the sport. It’s an unprecedented feat that, even for someone who’s watched F1 for over three decades, is still hard to grasp.
From being confirmed as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement at just 17 and crashing at Monza’s Parabolica corner during his official confirmation, to a rollercoaster of a maiden season that left many—likely including Mercedes leadership—scratching their heads, there really hasn’t been a bigger “zero-ish to hero” story ever in F1. Now he just needs to finish ninth or better in Mexico City this weekend to be crowned—something he’ll likely do—though after skipping Thursday’s media duties due to illness, the young racer may not be feeling 100% on Sunday.
In a recent sit-down chat with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, I asked him to expand on a story he touched on briefly during a chat at the Miami Grand Prix earlier this year. The anecdote was about Ben Sulayem doing a double-take at Antonelli’s FIA Super License application when he saw “18” in the age field.
“I looked at it, and I said, ’18?’ I looked up [at the people with me], and they said, ‘Yes, sir, 18.’ Of course I knew nobody would lie on that form, but still,” the FIA president told The Drive.
“I am very proud to see that motorsport has someone like Kimi Antonelli,” Ben Sulayem continued. “I’ve never heard him complaining; he never complains—I think he’s overcome this—he diverts from complaining.”
Indeed, after seeing Antonelli around the paddock a half-dozen times or so this year, it’s still somewhat hard to process that that kid right there FaceTiming with his friends and family while walking down the Austin paddock, or being carried on the shoulders of an NFL player like in Miami, or riding his scooter down a Suzuka alley, is about to become the first Italian F1 champion in 73 years. Seventy-three years!
As Ben Sulayem explained, much of it comes down to his work ethic, his family’s support, and, of course, a killer car and team behind him.
“He just goes and drives and delivers the results,” Ben Sulayem said. “He was under attack last year with some online abuse, you know, and then he had that crash in Monza when he went off into the gravel. Then he came back and became the first young Italian to win there in 60 years. That was so emotional.
“He is a phenomenon, like some other drivers that we have. Phenomenon means a lot of things; it’s not just being born with it. It means that you do all your training, you have your own way of thinking, etc.”
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