‘My 2027 Preparation Starts Now’: Kimi Antonelli Fires Early Warning to Formula 1 Rivals 

The newly crowned F1 world champion Kimi Antonelli has already turned his focus towards the 2027 season, warning his rivals that his preparations for the next season have already begun. Despite securing his maiden title in Mexico last weekend, the Mercedes driver is determined to finish the current season on a high note and take the confidence into 2027.

Speaking to the media ahead of the Sao Paulo GP, the Italian expressed his excitement about returning to Interlagos while highlighting the importance of building momentum for next season.

“I’m actually very excited to be here,” Antonelli said. “It’s a good opportunity for me to, first of all, you know, try to finish the season on a top, but I also feel like that my 2027 preparation starts now.

“It’s going to be important to finish the season well, strong, in order to have the confidence and also to be able to get the confidence ahead of 2027.”

The hunger of becoming better and retaining his title next year is visible in Antonelli’s comments. The 20-year-old driver has secured nine wins this season, including a record five consecutive victories.

Kimi Antonelli Has Framed the Mexico’s Iconic Championship Celebration Picture

Antonelli has also reflected on an unforgettable championship celebration with two legends, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, in Mexico.

Antonelli shared the podium with race winner Verstappen and runner-up Hamilton in Mexico. After the race, Hamilton and Verstappen lifted the Italian on their shoulders during the podium celebrations. The moment brought together three generations of F1 success, making it particularly special for the newly crowned champion.

During the media interaction, Kimi Antonelli revealed that he had already framed a photograph of the iconic celebration and intends to put it on his wall as a reminder of the occasion.

“I already framed the picture and definitely will put it on the wall because it’s such a moment,” Antonelli said on title celebration with two F1 greats.

“Who would have said it? I wouldn’t have expected to celebrate my title in that way. So definitely when they picked me up was the cherry on top of the cake.”

Kimi Antonelli Reveals Why the Celebration Was More Special

The young sensation revealed the championship celebration was special because it felt real. He also expressed his gratitude towards Hamilton (a seven-time F1 champion) and Verstappen (a four-time F1 champion), acknowledging the significance of receiving such a gesture from two drivers who have played major roles in F1 history.

“I will always be thankful towards them for doing that because, first of all, to receive that from two incredible drivers who have done the history of the sport is very special,” Antonelli said.

“And also even more special because it was real. It was something that they actually wanted to do. So it was a very special moment, and definitely I hope I can see them again to thank them properly with a bit of calm because it was just very special.”

The youngest-ever F1 champion currently leads the drivers’ championship by 119 points over his teammate George Russell, with four races remaining in the season. He will now look to extend his gap and help his team secure the constructors’ championship. The team needs at least three more points from Ferrari’s result this weekend.

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Written by

Yash Soni

Yash Soni is a Formula 1 writer with over four years of experience in digital sports journalism. He specializes in F1 news, race analysis, team updates, and paddock stories. With a strong focus on accuracy, research, and SEO-driven storytelling, he aims to deliver engaging and informative coverage that keeps motorsport fans up to date with the latest developments in Formula 1.

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