Andrea Kimi Antonelli

1.1. Birth and family

Andrea Kimi Antonelli was born on August 25, 2006, in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. His father, Marco Antonelli, is a sportscar racing driver and the owner of the San Marino-based AKM Motorsport racing team, which has competed in the Italian F4 Championship since 2022. Marco Antonelli previously operated Antonelli Motorsport, a team that participated in series such as the Blancpain GT Series, Porsche Supercup, and International GT Open, and won the 2018 Italian GT Championship.

1.2. Education and early influences

Antonelli's middle name, Kimi, is often mistaken as a tribute to Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 Formula One World Drivers' Champion. However, Antonelli has clarified that the name was suggested by Enrico Bertaggia to his father, who desired a foreign middle name for his son after "Andrea," and was not chosen in reference to Räikkönen.

He attended ITCS Gaetano Salvemini in Casalecchio di Reno, where he studied international relations and marketing. He developed his English language skills during his race weekends. Initially, his father wanted him to play association football in Italy, but Antonelli displayed a greater passion for motorsport, leading him to pursue karting instead.

1.3. Personal aspects

Antonelli has chosen the number 12 as his personal driver number for Formula One, drawing inspiration from his idol, Ayrton Senna. He consistently used this number throughout his title-winning junior formulae seasons in 2022 and 2023. Antonelli passed his driving test just six weeks before his Formula One debut. His racing helmet features a base color of Savoy blue, accented with green, white, and red details, reflecting the national colours of Italy.

2.1. Early career and debut (2014-2017)

Antonelli began kart racing at the age of seven, quickly winning championships in various categories. Following his participation in a summer camp with the Automobile Club d'Italia in 2014, he was scouted by Giovanni Minardi, who subsequently signed him to Minardi Management. His first title came in 2015 at the Trofeo Easykart Italia in the 60 cc class. That same year, he won the Easykart International Grand Final, impressively climbing from twenty-second on the grid. At nine years old, he also placed thirty-first in the WSK Final Cup in the 60 Mini category.

In 2016, Antonelli competed in several major karting competitions, securing top-three finishes in the Italian Cup and Trofeo delle Industrie. He continued this strong performance in 2017, achieving a third-place finish in the WSK Super Master Series. During this year, he also won the third round of the Italian Karting Championship held in Battipaglia.

2.2. International success and Mercedes Junior Program (2018-2019)

Antonelli officially joined the Mercedes Junior Team in April 2019, though he had signed with them in early 2018. This period marked a significant escalation in his international karting success. In 2018, he won the WSK Champions Cup, the South Garda Winter Cup, and the ROK Cup International Final, all in the Mini class. He also finished as runner-up in the Italian Championship.

In 2019, Antonelli progressed to OK-Junior, the premier international direct-drive karting category for drivers under 15. Racing with Rosberg Racing Academy, he achieved a remarkable string of victories, winning the South Garda Winter Cup, WSK Super Master Series, WSK Euro Series, WSK Open Cup, and WSK Final Cup. He also made his debut in the Karting European Championship and Karting World Championship, finishing as runner-up to Marcus Amand in the former and fifth in the latter. He also secured a third-place finish in the Italian Championship and a second-place finish in the SKUSA SuperNationals in the KA100 Junior class.

2.3. Senior classes dominance (2020-2021)

In 2020, at the age of 13, Antonelli advanced to the senior direct-drive OK class. Competing with Kart Republic, he finished third at the South Garda Winter Cup and runner-up to Nikita Bedrin in the WSK Super Master Series. Most notably, he won the European Championship in his senior class debut at 14 years old, and also clinched the WSK Euro Series title. His season ended prematurely at the World Championship final in Portimão, where he retired due to an injury after colliding with Maya Weug's stationary kart in wet conditions, suffering a broken left tibia and metatarsus. For his outstanding performance in 2020, the CIK-FIA recognized him as the FIA Karting Rookie of the Year.

Returning for the 2021 season, Antonelli moved into the premier KZ gearbox class. He aimed to become the youngest-ever KZ World Champion, a record held by Max Verstappen since 2013, but ultimately finished fifteenth despite topping qualifying practice. However, he successfully defended his European Championship title in the OK class, dominating the season with five wins out of eight races. He also finished as runner-up to Rafael Câmara in both the WSK Champions Cup and WSK Super Master Series. Upon his graduation to junior formulae, Vroomkart magazine praised his karting career, stating it "already [foretold] of a classic anthology of a Champion."

3.1. Formula 4 (2021-2022)

Antonelli made his mark in Formula 4, achieving multiple championships and demonstrating his potential across various series.

3.1.1. Italian F4 Championship

Antonelli made his junior formulae debut in the fifth round of the 2021 Italian F4 Championship at the Red Bull Ring, three weeks after his 15th birthday, driving for Prema. He was the highest-placed rookie in his first race and scored four points during the weekend. He continued to score points in the subsequent round at Mugello. His breakout performance came in the final event at Monza, where he finished second in race one after a close battle with champion Oliver Bearman, and secured additional podiums with two third-place finishes in races two and three. Despite missing most of the season, Antonelli finished tenth in the overall standings and fourth in the rookies' championship, with four category wins.

In the 2022 Italian F4 Championship, Antonelli remained with Prema and was also co-signed by the Automobile Club d'Italia as a member of ACI Team Italia, having won the Supercorso Federale in November 2021. His season began with a retirement from the lead in the opener at Imola due to a gearbox issue, despite starting on pole. He also incurred front wing damage in race two and a penalty for a collision with teammate James Wharton in race three, dropping him from fourth to tenth. However, his fortunes quickly turned with two wins in the next round at Misano. This was followed by an impressive six consecutive victories at Spa-Francorchamps and Vallelunga, propelling him into the championship lead ahead of Rafael Câmara. Further wins at the Red Bull Ring and Monza solidified his advantage. He clinched the title by winning the first race at Mugello and went on to win the remaining two races of the season, securing a then-record thirteen victories.

3.1.2. ADAC F4 Championship

Concurrently with his Italian F4 campaign, Antonelli also competed in the 2022 ADAC Formula 4 Championship with Prema. He secured two victories in the opening round at Spa-Francorchamps. At the Hockenheimring, he delivered a dominant performance, taking all available wins, pole positions, and fastest laps. In the third round at Zandvoort, Antonelli added two more consecutive wins in the first two races, narrowly missing a hat-trick by 0.058 s in the reverse-grid final race, where he finished second to Conrad Laursen in a photo finish. After missing the penultimate event at the Lausitzring, Antonelli clinched the championship with one race to spare, securing victories in the first two races of the rain-affected final round at the Nürburgring.

3.1.4. FIA Motorsport Games

Following his championship victories in Italian and ADAC F4, Antonelli represented Team Italy in the Formula 4 Cup discipline at the biennial 2022 FIA Motorsport Games held at Paul Ricard. Despite suffering a broken left wrist due to a collision near the end of qualifying, Antonelli secured pole position and went on to win both the qualifying and main races. This remarkable performance earned him the gold medal and contributed to Italy's victory in the overall medal table. He subsequently received a 10.00 K EUR grant from chassis manufacturer KC Motorgroup to support his 2023 campaigns. After the win, Antonelli revealed that he experienced "a lot of pain" and had to take painkillers to continue driving, stating he "drove not properly."

Antonelli concluded his F4 career with an impressive record of 26 wins, 24 pole positions, and 37 podium finishes in 57 appearances, making him the second-most successful driver in the history of the discipline.

3.2. Formula Three (2023)

Antonelli continued his championship-winning form in Formula Regional, securing titles in both the Middle East and European series.

3.2.1. Formula Regional Middle East Championship

Prior to his main 2023 campaign, Antonelli competed in the inaugural F3-level 2023 Formula Regional Middle East Championship with Mumbai Falcons. He started the season strongly with three second-place finishes across the opening two rounds, which propelled him to an early championship lead. He further consolidated his advantage by securing his first three Formula Regional wins at the third and fourth rounds in Kuwait and Dubai, respectively. Heading into the final round at Yas Marina, Antonelli held a 37-point lead over title rival Taylor Barnard of PHM Racing. Despite receiving a penalty for colliding with Barnard while battling for the lead in race one, Antonelli ultimately clinched the title with one race remaining. He concluded the season with his seventh podium finish in the final race.

3.3. FIA Formula 2 (2024)

Antonelli bypassed the international FIA Formula 3 Championship, making a direct progression to the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2024 with Prema, alongside Ferrari Driver Academy member Oliver Bearman. Ahead of the season, Antonelli stated that he did not "want to set any expectation" for his rookie results, amidst early rumors of his Formula One prospects for 2025. Prema faced challenges in adapting to the new regulations utilizing ground effect. Antonelli secured a single point at the season-opener in Sakhir, finishing fourteenth in the sprint race and tenth in the feature race, notably ahead of Bearman in both. He then achieved two sixth-place finishes in the following round in Jeddah.

In Melbourne, Antonelli qualified second but spun into the gravel during the reverse-grid sprint race while attempting to gain positions. He then battled with Dennis Hauger for the lead in the feature race, ultimately finishing fourth. Antonelli expressed disappointment at missing the podium but took positives from his performance. He continued to show strong pace, finishing fourth in both the Imola feature race and the Monaco sprint race, concluding the Monaco weekend seventh in the feature race. After placing outside of the points in Barcelona and Spielberg, Antonelli was ninth in the standings halfway through the season. Toto Wolff commented that Mercedes was unfazed by his results, stating that "a champion needs to be thrown in the cold water."

Antonelli qualified tenth at Silverstone, placing him on pole for the rain-affected sprint race. After three safety car periods and a red flag, Antonelli secured his maiden F2 win and podium in his eighth F2 round. He described the win as "a big relief" after a challenging start to his F2 season. He retired from the feature race following a first-lap collision with Kush Maini. In Budapest, a gamble on option tyres saw him lead most of the sprint race, but a loss of tyre performance forced an unscheduled pit stop. The following day, Antonelli achieved his first feature race victory after starting seventh on the grid, which elevated him to sixth in the standings.

He finished sixth in the curtailed Spa-Francorchamps sprint race, notably executing an award-winning overtake on Franco Colapinto into Eau Rouge. He finished ninth in the feature race after a slow pit stop. Antonelli then received a ten-place grid penalty for the Monza sprint race-due to Prema's use of dry ice as a cooling agent-where he was involved in a multi-car collision. He placed fourth in the feature race after a contentious battle with teammate Bearman. Antonelli narrowly missed his maiden pole position by 0.017 s in Baku, finishing seventh in the sprint race and third in the feature race after contact with Zane Maloney. He retired from both races in Lusail following a collision with Maini in the sprint and Richard Verschoor in the feature, the latter due to an unsafe release into his path in the pit lane. Antonelli withdrew from the season-ending round at Yas Marina due to illness, concluding his rookie season sixth in the standings with two victories, three podiums, four fastest laps, and 113 points.

4.1. Mercedes Junior Team and tests

In April 2019, Mercedes announced that Antonelli had officially joined their Mercedes Junior Team. This marked the beginning of his direct path towards Formula One. On April 17, 2024, Antonelli conducted his first test with the team, driving the Mercedes W12 at the Red Bull Ring. He completed further private tests in the Mercedes W13 at Imola, Silverstone, and Spa-Francorchamps.

Following a new rule that re-allowed drivers to hold an FIA Super Licence at the minimum age of 17, there were rumors that Antonelli might replace Logan Sargeant at Williams midway through the 2024 season. However, Mercedes denied this move, instead recommending Mick Schumacher for the position.

4.2. Formula One weekend debut

Antonelli made his official free practice debut at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, participating in the first session in George Russell's Mercedes W15. He initially set the fastest lap but spun at the Curva Alboreto corner just 10 minutes into the session, colliding with the tire barrier at 52 g-force. Toto Wolff publicly defended Antonelli after the crash. Mark Hughes of Motor Sport even compared his free practice debut to that of legendary driver Tazio Nuvolari.

Antonelli participated in another free practice session at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, where he finished twelfth after his session ended prematurely due to sustaining floor damage from running over a piece of debris. He later commented that he was "much calmer" during this second outing. He also featured alongside Russell in the post-season test at Yas Marina, completing 62 laps and setting the fifth-fastest time overall.

4.3. Mercedes (2025-present)

Antonelli officially signed with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team for the 2025 season, replacing Lewis Hamilton and partnering George Russell. He is contracted to remain at Mercedes until at least the end of the 2025 season. He is set to debut at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, becoming the first Italian driver to compete in Formula One since Antonio Giovinazzi in 2021, and the third-youngest driver in Formula One history at 18 years and 203 days old.

5.1. Sportscar racing

In May 2023, Antonelli made his debut in sportscar racing, competing for his father's AKM Motorsport team in the opening round of the Italian GT3 Championship, driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. He secured a victory in the first race from pole position and followed it up with a third-place finish in race two, making a final-corner overtake on eventual champion Jens Klingmann.

5.2. Super Formula

Antonelli was initially scheduled to participate in a Super Formula post-season test in December 2024, driving the Dallara SF23 alongside Prema teammate Oliver Bearman at Suzuka. However, he later withdrew from the test due to illness.

8.1. Karting career summary

8.2. Complete CIK-FIA Karting European Championship results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

9.1. Racing career summary

9.2. Complete Italian F4 Championship results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

9.3. Complete Formula 4 UAE Championship results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

9.4. Complete ADAC Formula 4 Championship results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

9.5. Complete FIA Motorsport Games results

9.6. Complete Formula Regional Middle East Championship results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

9.7. Complete Formula Regional European Championship results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

9.8. Complete FIA Formula 2 Championship results

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

9.9. Complete Formula One participations

(Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)