The world title won in his second season in Formula 1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli's exploits have illustrious precedents, from Juan Manuel Fangio (1951) to Lewis Hamilton (2008), passing through Jacques Villeneuve (1997). But the success of the boy from Bologna has no equal in terms of precocity. At 20 years and two months, with the super-licence obtained before the road licence, Kimi beat the record held by Sebastian Vettel, world champion in 2010 driving for Red Bull at the age of 23 years, four months and 11 days.
Natural talent, ability to best interpret the new regulations on single-seaters and power-units, with the addition of an overflowing Mercedes. Here are the ingredients that allowed him to lead the charge, even in such a challenging context for a driver with very little experience at this level. The ability to adapt was decisive: it's not enough to be fast on the flying lap, you need to know how to manage races, pressure, interpret strategies and maintain clarity. Antonelli succeeded, he transformed promises into results.
The start of the World Cup is overwhelming. After second place in AUSTRALIA, Kimi wins the first GP of his career in CHINA. It is repeated in JAPAN, in MIAMI, in CANADA and in MONTE CARLO. Total, five successes in the first six races. But it is in moments of difficulty that the champion's maturity demonstrates. The retirement in BARCELONA due to an electrical problem, while he was second, broke the magic thread. He partially makes up for it with third place in AUSTRIA, but 15th in GREAT BRITAIN is a bad setback. Antonelli, however, reacts by winning in BELGIUM and returning to the podium in HUNGARY (third) and in HOLLAND (second). Consistency of results and tactical intelligence are his other weapons: if he understands that it is not a day to win, he still aims to achieve the maximum.
Another symbolic moment arrives in MONZA. On 6 September, in front of his home crowd - divided between his love for Ferrari and the joy of finally seeing a fellow countryman fight for the world title - he won the Italian Grand Prix starting from the back of the grid. In SPAIN, in the new MadRing, he is ahead of everyone again. In AZERBAIJAN an error in Q1 relegates him to 16th place on the grid. After a long chase he finished fifth. He was then second in BAHARAIN and third in SINGAPORE, tracks on which Max Verstappen returned to victory.
But the main opponent for the title is internal. His stablemate George Russell remains the only one who can undermine him for a long time. The rivalry between the two pits the experience and solidity of the Brit against the speed of growth and ambition of the Italian. Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren witnessed such superiority, managing to enter the fight only with impromptu successes. Antonelli maintains a significant advantage over his rivals. After SINGAPORE (11 October), the Bolognese leads the ranking with 340 points, against 238 for Russell, second. The margin is 102 points, as the season enters its decisive phase. In Austin Kimi has the first match point but just misses it, still obtaining a victory, the ninth of the season, extraordinary for determination and maturity. The placings of Lewis Hamilton and Russell, if not enough for the coronation, still postpone the party for just a week, to the MEXICO GP.
On the circuit named after the brothers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez - both drivers who died tragically while racing, the former when he was only 20 years old, in 1962 -, Kimi crossed the historic world championship finish line by taking third place and thus climbing onto the podium to celebrate alongside two multiple world champions, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
