Kimi became the 13th driver to represent Mercedes in F1 when he took the start for his debut race in Melbourne, Australia. In the process he became the third-youngest driver to ever start an F1 race. Kimi Antonelli is champion of the world, and the youngest ever to do it in F1 history. The Italian has rewritten the record books, in what is only his second season in the sport, after his third place finish in Mexico City sealed the deal. Kimi Antonelli pilots his Mercedes W17 through the Ardennes during Sunday's 2026 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps Mark Thompson / Getty Images When Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s world. 11M Followers, 3,934 Following, 1,100 Posts - Andrea Kimi Antonelli (@kimi.antonelli) on Instagram: Formula 1 World Champion 🏆 Driving for @mercedesamgf1 Follow Kimi’s unbelievable journey to F1 World Champion, becoming the youngest to ever do it, at 20 years and 68 days. Kimi Antonelli produced a breathtaking performance, after starting the race from P19, to overtake the rest of the pack and clinch the Italian Grand Prix victory in magnificent fashion on. Antonelli won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 2026 with Mercedes, becoming the youngest-ever World Drivers' Champion; he has won nine Grands Prix since his debut in 2025. Born and raised in Bologna, Antonelli is the son of sportscar racing driver Marco Antonelli. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes made history at age 20 at the 2026 Mexico Grand Prix, where he became the youngest-ever world champion. Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s rise to the F1 grid has been nothing short of meteoric. Son of sportscar racer Marco, the Bologna native was scouted by Mercedes during a karting career that saw him collect a scarcely believable number of winner's trophies. Kimi's sophomore season in F1 saw him achieve success beyond his wildest dreams. Following a P2 in the Melbourne opener, he won his first Grand Prix in China, his second in Japan (becoming the youngest championship leader ever) and reeled off a further three for an unprecedented five-win streak.