Kimi Antonelli’s speed: the traits behind his rise to F1 champion

At 20, Kimi Antonelli is Formula 1’s youngest world champion. A RacingNews365 feature looks for the roots of his speed in his steering, his knack for getting the tyres working and his feel for grip.

Antonelli moved from Formula 2 straight to Mercedes, replacing Lewis Hamilton. The feature traces his path from karting, revisits his Monza practice crash and considers lessons from his rookie season. Preparation and support are also part of its portrait.

Speed, the feature says, was not the whole title story: turning pace into a world championship took another step, and RacingNews365 points to consistency behind Antonelli’s 2026 crown. Drawing on insight from Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff, it examines his battle with George Russell and asks whether comparisons with Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen and Ayrton Senna hold up.