At 20 years and 68 days old, Kimi Antonelli has just become the youngest Formula 1 world champion in the history of the sport, undoing the record of Sebastian Vettel from 2010. His moment of glory came at the Mexico City GP, where he finished third behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
Emotions were bound to overcome the Italian, and as he passed the checkered flag in Mexico City, there was no holding back the tears. With Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington announcing him as the “champion of the world,” an overwhelmed Antonelli was gasping for air while crying and laughing, and unable to say much.
But as he came to grips with the reality around him, “Thank you so much. We did it, we did it! Thank you so much,” were the Mercedes driver’s first words as world champion.
Meanwhile, Bono responded to the first Italian F1 champion in 73 years by telling him he’d done “beautiful work” throughout the season. Calling it a pleasure to have been a part of the journey, Bono claimed that this was just the first chapter of many more to come.
Kimi Antonelli Shares Touching Reaction to Incredible Championship Win
Having started the race from fourth, it was only fitting for the world champion to finish on the podium, who did so with a bold overtake on Charles Leclerc. Having embraced his family and the Mercedes team members, Antonelli took the mic and didn’t shy away from sharing his emotions.
Referring to his team and family, the 20-year-old stated that he wouldn’t have been able to achieve his F1 dream without their support and that he was grateful for a moment “that will live forever.” Still at a loss for words, Antonelli added that he was trying to process what had just happened to him.
Taking a moment to recollect his thoughts, the No. 12 driver claimed that sharing such a special podium with Verstappen and Hamilton made things even more incredible for him as he looks forward to more battles with them in the future.
Often seen as one of the calmest drivers on the grid despite the championship pressure, Antonelli subsequently revealed that he was a bit more tense for this weekend’s race. But now that the job is done, he is far more relaxed and can now enjoy the rest of the season.
Kimi Antonelli Reflects on a Record-Breaking Feat
Antonelli’s feat stands as more than just a championship-winning run in F1. Rather, it stands as one of the most iconic title campaigns in the history of the sport, owing to two major reasons.
While the first one is without a doubt Antonelli becoming the youngest driver to win the championship, the second one is the fact that he has become the first Italian driver to win the title in 73 years. Reflecting on this achievement, Antonelli admitted that it was a moment that meant the world to him.
Having a “very strong car” at the beginning of the season gave him a much-needed boost early on and gave Mercedes the confidence that they had a shot this year. Consistent performance from the car made things easier for the No. 12 driver, who is now just going to enjoy being the world champion.
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