Andrea Innocenti November 1, 2026, resonates across Formula 1 circuits as a memorable date: Andrea Kimi Antonelli won the world championship, becoming the youngest driver to wear the champion's jersey at 20 years old. The race in Mexico City, held under the Italian evening lights, concluded a season in which the young driver from Bologna accumulated 365 points, a huge gap over second-placed George Russell, who finished with 242.
Antonelli, who raced for the Mercedes team, started from the fourth row, but his apparent nonchalance belied an impeccable race strategy.
The climb to the world title
Kimi Antonelli 's path to the highest podium was marked by lightning-fast transitions: from karting to the Italian Formula 4 championship, until he joined the German team in 2023.
In the 2025 season, he collected three wins and six podiums, confirming his talent. The Mexican Grand Prix was decisive: a points-scoring start, near-perfect pit stop management, and the ability to conserve his tires in the closing stages allowed the driver to overtake Lewis Hamilton in the final standings, thus securing the title without depending on the outcome of Hamilton or Russell's races.
The historical significance of an Italian triumph
Had Antonelli won the championship, he would have been the first Italian to do so since 1952, when Alberto Ascari won the title. This would mark a return to 73 years of glory for Italian motorsport, an achievement that has rekindled interest in Formula 1 throughout the country. The young man stated that the victory was the result of a team effort, emphasizing the crucial role of his father, Marco Antonelli, a former driver and owner of the AKM Motorsport team, in managing his son's career.
Private life, relationships and curiosities
Off the track, Kimi Antonelli 's life has been the subject of much gossip. From 2023 to February 2026, he was in a relationship with Czech Eliška Bábíčková, a talented former karter. The end of the relationship was announced by Eliška herself in a video on social media, where she explained that the two had tried unsuccessfully to determine the direction of their relationship. No official confirmation of a new, stable relationship has ever been received, although paparazzi photos from the summer of 2026 show Antonelli in the company of a mysterious Italian-Russian woman, identified as Suami Di Tavi.
Rumors about Suami Di Tavi
The rumors began when photographers captured the pilot on the beaches of the Costa Smeralda and later in Portofino, alongside a 22-year-old student. The couple had lunch at the Hotel Splendido but chose to keep a low profile, avoiding any mention of the couple on social media. To date, neither Antonelli nor Di Tavi have confirmed the nature of their relationship, leaving room for speculation but also out of respect for the couple's privacy.
The origins of the name, the number 12 and other anecdotes
The middle name "Kimi" was suggested by Enrico Bertaggia, a former driver and family friend, in homage to Finnish legend Kimi Räikkönen. Antonelli inherited the number 12 , chosen to honor his younger brother, but also because the number 12 is traditionally considered a lucky charm in racing. Before dedicating himself full-time to motorsport, the young man had a brief appearance on the big screen in Matteo Rovere's film "Italian Race," where he played himself in a racing scene. Regarding his education, he earned a diploma in accounting from the "Gaetano Salvemini" Institute in Casalecchio in 2025, demonstrating that dedication to study has remained an integral part of his daily life.
Since 2024, he has lived in San Marino, where his father founded a motorsports company. In 2026, the Consulate of San Marino named him an ambassador for Italian sport in the world , recognizing the symbolic value of his victory. Antonelli attributes his success primarily to his family: "Without the support of my father, my mother Veronica, and my sister Maggie, I wouldn't be here."