Kimi Antonelli becomes youngest F1 world champion

Kimi Antonelli, 20, became Formula 1’s youngest world champion after a dominant 2026 season. He beat Sebastian Vettel’s previous record of 23 years of age.

Antonelli’s victory also marks Italy’s first F1 world champion in 73 years, surpassing Alberto Ascari’s 1963 achievement. He is now Italy’s biggest sports star, joining multiple Grand Slam tennis champion Jannik Sinner.

Antonelli’s poise and calmness, traits reminiscent of his namesake Kimi Raikkonen, were key to his success. His near-flawless campaign included 16 podium finishes and only two finishes outside the top five.

Despite a rocky start to his F1 career, including a crash at Monza in 2024, Antonelli adapted to the new 50/50 battery-engine cars and excelled. His consistency and ability to extract every possible millisecond from the car proved decisive.

Antonelli skipped Formula 3 and went straight to Formula 2, where his performance led to his 2025 F1 debut as a teammate to George Russell.

Russell struggled this season, including a late-season penalty in Mexico, but Antonelli dominated the final weeks of the season, securing the title.