Italian · Hamburg, Germany · Born 25 August 2006Italian Formula 1 driver who became the youngest driver to test a modern F1 car at age 17 and joined Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton's replacement in 2025
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, known by his middle name, was born on 25 August 2006 in Bologna, Italy, the son of sportscar racing driver Marco Antonelli. He joined Mercedes' junior driver programme in April 2019, aged just 12, and named his racing idol as Ayrton Senna, having achieved considerable success in karting before reaching driving age for a road licence. Antonelli won back-to-back FIA Karting European Championships in 2020 and 2021, before graduating to single-seater racing, winning Italian and ADAC F4 titles in 2022 and the Formula Regional European and Middle East championships in 2023 with Prema. Antonelli made his Formula One debut with Mercedes at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix at 18 years, six months old, becoming the third-youngest driver ever to start a Grand Prix, finishing fourth in front of his parents in a wet-weather debut. He signed for the team as a full-time replacement for the departing seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli delivered his maiden Grand Prix victory during the 2026 season, becoming the youngest-ever polesitter at that year's Chinese Grand Prix and the youngest championship leader in the sport's history following his win in Japan, continuing to establish himself as one of the most exciting young talents to emerge from Italy's rich motorsport tradition.
Young Mercedes F1 protégé and junior formula champion
How They Played
Aggressive wheel-to-wheel racer with strong wet weather skills
Lasting Impact
Antonelli represents the new generation of Formula 1 drivers, proving that young talent can successfully transition directly from junior categories to the pinnacle of motorsport.
Career Honours
- Italian F4 Championship 2022
- Italian F4 Championship 2023
- ADAC F4 Championship 2023
- Formula Regional European Championship 2023
| Constructor | Season(s) | Races |
|---|---|---|
| Prema Racing (Italian F4 Championship) | 2021 | 9 |
| Prema Racing (Formula 4 UAE Championship) | 2021–2022 | — |
| Prema Racing (ADAC F4 Championship) | 2022 | — |
| Prema Racing (Formula Regional Middle East Championship) | 2022–2023 | — |
| Prema Racing (Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine - FRECA) | 2023 | — |
| AKM Motorsport (Italian GT3 Championship) | 2023 | 2 |
| Prema Racing (FIA Formula 2 Championship) | 2024 | — |
| Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team (Formula One) | 2025 | 24 |
| Career Total | — | 35 |
Italian Athletes