Kimi’s title leaves father Marco Antonelli struggling for words

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Archive photograph: Kimi Antonelli · 2025-10-17Archive photo · 2025-10-17 · Kuyper · CC BY-SA 4.0

Marco Antonelli said he could not describe his happiness after his son Kimi clinched the 2026 F1 title in Mexico, and praised Mercedes for continuing to believe in him after a difficult 2025 debut.

From the GPBeat newsroomPublished · 05 Nov 2026, 01:50 · 1 min

Kimi Antonelli’s 2026 Formula 1 title in Mexico left his father Marco short of words. “I just can’t explain how happy I am,” he said, calling the achievement incredible after the difficulties Kimi faced in his 2025 debut season.

Marco also praised Mercedes for continuing to believe in Kimi after those problems, describing the path to the championship as a long journey.

Antonelli struggled to adapt to F1 speed in his 2025 debut after succeeding Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. The start of 2026 was uneven too, but he won five consecutive races from the Chinese Grand Prix. After that run, the paddock began to see him as a possible title winner.

Marco said Kimi had put 2025 behind him and started again in 2026, building himself up step by step. His father said Kimi had always had a strong mindset and the ability to turn the page.

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