Formula One has a new world champion. Kimi Antonelli sealed his title in Mexico after a season that captivated, making him the youngest world champion in history, and by a substantial margin. At 20 years, 2 months and 7 days, he far surpasses the previous record held since 2010 by Sebastian Vettel, which stood at 23 years, 4 months and 11 days.
A milestone that, however, has not entirely impressed Fernando Alonso. The Asturian congratulated Antonelli on his achievement, but when faced with the press he expressed his doubts. Alonso believes the Italian has known how to adapt to the new Formula One cars, but he recalls that in the past others beat him with the same tools.
Antonelli finished sixth in his sole season in Formula 2
Kimi Antonelli has represented a genuine upheaval for Formula One. At only 20 years old, he became in Mexico the first Italian to win a world championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953, and did so with a crushing decisiveness that allowed him to seal the title four races early. Yet, there are those who left with a bitter aftertaste.
That person is Fernando Alonso. The Asturian driver, who once was the youngest champion in history but is now the veteran on the grid, believes that “Antonelli has adapted to these rules like no one else”, and that is what has enabled him to master a Formula One car that is as counterintuitive as the current one.
Alonso argues that Antonelli “has incredible talent,” but he also notes that “in the junior categories he was less consistent. With identical cars, from my point of view, there were other drivers who performed better than him.” Alonso is referring to the questionable path Antonelli took through Formula 2, which left many with doubts about his progression to Mercedes.
Antonelli spent only one season in Formula 2, in 2024, finishing the championship in sixth place. For example, that year the champion was Gabriel Bortoleto, Alonso’s protege and the current Audi driver in Formula 1. The runner-up of that world championship was Isack Hadjar, who is also already in Formula 1 with a Red Bull.
Alonso even points to Oliver Bearman as better than Antonelli, though the numbers do not back him up. The current Haas driver ended that Formula 2 season in twelfth place. Yet he had three wins, one more than Antonelli. Alonso concludes by stating that “now Antonelli has a dominant car”.
What is clear is that Antonelli has achieved a feat that very few would have predicted when Mercedes backed him as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton.
Images | Aston Martin, Mercedes
