Kimi Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli Biography

Kimi Antonelli is a highly talented Italian racing driver who rapidly rose through the motorsport ranks to compete in Formula One for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. Born in 2006, he is renowned for his record-breaking young age achievements in the sport and his impressive run through karting and junior formula championships. His ascent to Formula 1 has been marked by multiple titles in karting, Italian and German F4 championships, and Formula Regional series, culminating in a Formula One debut with Mercedes in 2025, where he has already earned a podium finish and pole position records.

Childhood

Andrea Kimi Antonelli was born on August 25, 2006, in Bologna, Italy. He comes from a motorsport family; his father, Marco Antonelli, is a former sportscar racing driver and the owner of Antonelli Motorsport, a team competing in Italian GT and F4 championships. His mother, Veronica Antonelli, has also been involved in motorsport management. Kimi has a younger sister named Maggie. The young driver’s middle name "Kimi" was given by a family friend and is not inspired by Formula 1 champion Kimi Räikkönen, despite the shared name.

Education

Kimi Antonelli attended ITCS Gaetano Salvemini in Casalecchio di Reno, where he studied international relations and marketing. Alongside his academic education, Kimi developed his English language skills naturally through his extensive travel and participation in international racing events. His education has complemented his motorsport career by providing a broad-based knowledge useful for international competition and media engagement.

Career

Kimi Antonelli began karting at the age of seven and quickly established himself as a prodigious talent, winning several karting championships. He joined the Mercedes Junior Team in 2018 after securing multiple international karting titles. Transitioning to single-seaters, Kimi won the Italian F4 Championship and ADAC F4 Championship in 2022 with Prema Racing. He then claimed the Formula Regional Middle East and European titles in 2023, also showcasing his skills in the Italian GT3 series and FIA Motorsport Games. In 2024, he advanced to FIA Formula 2, achieving multiple wins and strong performances to finish sixth in his rookie season. In 2025, he made his debut in Formula One with Mercedes, replacing Lewis Hamilton and becoming the third-youngest F1 starter ever, already achieving podium finishes and setting records for youngest pole position in sprint qualifying.

Family Life

Kimi’s family has been deeply embedded in racing, with his father Marco Antonelli not only competing as a driver but also managing a racing team. There is no public information indicating that Kimi has children or a partner, as he is only 18 years old and currently focused on his burgeoning professional racing career. His supportive family environment and motorsport heritage have clearly been instrumental in his development as a racer.

Achievements

Kimi Antonelli’s achievements are numerous and extraordinary, especially given his young age. Highlights include back-to-back Karting European Championships in 2020 and 2021, Italian and ADAC Formula 4 Championship titles in 2022, and titles in the Formula Regional Middle East and European Championships in 2023. He won gold at the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games representing Italy and became a multiple race winner in Formula 2 during his rookie season. Notably, he became the youngest driver to record a pole position in a Formula One sprint race and secured a podium finish in his debut F1 season with Mercedes in 2025.

Controversies

As of 2025, Kimi Antonelli has maintained a clean image with no public controversies. His swift rise through racing’s ranks has been characterized by professionalism and strong performances. His focus remains on achieving excellence in his racing career without involvement in off-track disputes or scandals.

Kimi Antonelli Summary

Kimi Antonelli is a rising star of motorsport who has quickly made a name for himself with an impressive record in karting, junior formula racing, and now Formula One. Born into a family with deep motorsport roots, his early exposure to racing, formal education, and focused training have shaped him into one of the most promising young talents on the F1 grid. His achievements at a young age, combined with his recruitment and development by Mercedes, indicate a potentially bright future in Formula One racing as he continues to build his career and legacy.