Andrea Kimi Antonelli is an Italian driver and member of the Mercedes junior programme, considered one of the most promising prospects in motorsport. In 2024, he tested with Formula 1 single-seaters and was announced as a Mercedes driver for 2025.
1 ST PLACE
| FIELD | VALUE |
|---|---|
| TEAM | Mercedes |
| COUNTRY | Italy |
| PODIUMS | 15 |
| CAREER POINTS | 442 |
| GRANDS PRIX ENTERED | 38 |
| WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS | 0 |
| POLE POSITIONS | 6 |
| HIGHEST RACE FINISH | 1 (x8) |
| HIGHEST GRID POSITION | 1 (x6) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 25/08/2006 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bologna, Italy |
Italian teenager who stepped straight from Formula 2 into a Mercedes seat at 18, replacing Lewis Hamilton. The most hyped rookie arrival in years, backed by Toto Wolff long before most people knew his name.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli began his motorsport career at the age of seven in karting, quickly standing out for his talent and driving skills. Born in Bologna, Italy, in 2006, he is the son of Marco Antonelli, former driver and owner of the AKM Motorsport team, which allowed him to be immersed in the world of motorsport from an early age. During his years in karting, Antonelli won multiple national and international championships, establishing himself as one of the greatest promises in motorsport. In 2019, at just 13 years old, he joined the Mercedes young driver program, receiving direct support from the German team.
His transition to single-seaters was just as successful. In 2021, he made his debut in Italian Formula 4 and ADAC Formula 4, achieving impressive results. In 2022, he dominated both categories with the Prema team, winning both championships and demonstrating a quick adaptation to single-seaters. These early years of his career made clear his natural talent, determination and potential to reach Formula 1.
2024
Andrea Kimi Antonelli began his Formula 1 career in the 2024 season as a member of the Mercedes team. On 30 August 2024, during free practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Antonelli replaced George Russell in the first session. However, his debut was cut short after ten minutes due to an accident at the Parabolica curve, where he lost control and collided with the barriers. Despite the magnitude of the impact, Antonelli did not suffer serious injuries and reported that he was physically fine. This incident did not affect the team's confidence in his potential. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff backed Antonelli, highlighting his talent and speed. Later, on 31 August 2024, Mercedes officially announced that Antonelli would replace Lewis Hamilton in the 2025 season, partnering George Russell. In October 2024, Antonelli was given a second chance in free practice for the Mexican Grand Prix, where he completed 19 laps and recorded the twelfth fastest time, demonstrating significant improvement and adaptation to the car.
2025
Miami gave everyone the first real signal: youngest polesitter in F1 history, in just his sixth weekend. Canada followed with his first podium. Then Mercedes brought a flawed suspension update to Imola, and Antonelli's season fell apart for weeks. He admitted he started doubting himself, losing direction during a stretch where the pressure of racing at home in front of Italian crowds made everything heavier. To his credit, he found his way back. Brazil brought a second place, his best result of the year. Three podiums, 135 points, and enough moments of genuine brilliance to make the difficult ones feel like a footnote. He goes into 2026 knowing exactly what he is capable of.
2026
Everything clicked at once. With a genuinely fast W17 underneath him, Antonelli won in China, Japan, Miami, Canada, Monaco and Belgium, and added further podiums in Australia, Austria, Hungary and the Netherlands. A retirement in Barcelona was one of the few blots on an otherwise dominant campaign. He kept the wins coming with victories at Monza and the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. Through fourteen rounds he leads the championship with 292 points, the standout story of the new regulations era and a serious title contender in only his second F1 season.
| YEAR | POS. | TEAM | CHASIS | ENGINE | TYRES | VIC. | POLE | V.R. | POINTS | GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 |  MERCEDES |
W17 | MERCEDES |
 PIRELLI |
8 | 6 | 7 | 292 | 14 |
| 2025 | 7 | MERCEDES |
W16 | MERCEDES |
PIRELLI |
0 | 1 | 0 | 135 | 22 |
| RACE | DATE | TEAM | ENGINE | POS | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AUSTRALIA |
08 MAR | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
2 | 18 |
 CHINA |
15 MAR | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
1 | 29 |
 JAPAN |
29 MAR | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
1 | 25 |
 MIAMI |
03 MAY | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
1 | 28 |
 CANADA |
24 MAY | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
1 | 31 |
 MONACO |
07 JUN | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
1 | 25 |
 BARCELONA-CATALUNYA |
14 JUN | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
DNF | 0 |
 AUSTRIA |
28 JUN | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
3 | 15 |
 GREAT BRITAIN |
05 JUL | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
15 | 8 |
 BELGIUM |
19 JUL | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
1 | 25 |
 HUNGARY |
26 JUL | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
3 | 15 |
 NETHERLANDS |
23 AUG | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
2 | 23 |
 ITALY |
06 SEP | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
1 | 25 |
| SPAIN |
13 SEP | MERCEDES |
MERCEDES |
1 | 25 |
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