How old is Kimi Antonelli? At just 19 years old, this Italian driver has become one of Formula 1’s biggest stories in only four years.
He moved from karting straight into a top F1 seat with Mercedes, skipping the usual mid-table route most young drivers take.
Mercedes signed him to replace Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time champion who left for Ferrari. Antonelli made his debut in 2025, and by mid-2026 he was already leading the World Drivers Championship.
Watching this rise has been one of the most thrilling storylines in recent F1 memory.
How Old Is Kimi Antonelli: Bio Basics
His full name is Andrea Kimi Antonelli, though fans know him by his middle name.
He was born on 25 August 2006 in Bologna, Italy, which makes him 19 years old as of 2026.
His nickname traces back to his father’s brother, a devoted Kimi Räikkönen fan who named him after the Finnish legend. He stands 5 feet 7 inches (1.72m) tall and weighs 70kg.
He drives for Mercedes with car number 12.
His reported salary sits between $2-5 million, modest by F1 standards for someone already making history at his age.
How Old Is Kimi Antonelli: Career Path and Junior Career
Antonelli’s journey began in karting at age five, and by age seven he was racing competitively.
He won the Easy Kart International Grand Final at age nine and added FIA European Karting titles by age twelve.
He joined the Mercedes Junior Programme in April 2019 and moved to single-seaters with Prema Racing. By 2022, he had swept the Italian and German F4 titles, racking up 26 wins.
In 2023, he won both the Formula Regional Middle East and European titles.
Mercedes then skipped him past Formula 3 entirely, promoting him straight to Formula 2 in 2024, where he won at Silverstone and Hungary.
That same year, at around age eighteen, he took part in private Mercedes testing and crashed during an FP1 session at Monza.
Mercedes still confirmed him for 2025 alongside George Russell.
How Old Is Kimi Antonelli: Family and Background
Before Mercedes, Antonelli karted under the Ferrari junior banner. Ferrari passed on signing him at age 12, judging him too young to evaluate at the time.
His father, Marco Antonelli, is a former racing driver who runs AKM Motorsport. The name blends Kimi and his sister Maggie’s initials with his own.
Kimi calls himself chill away from the track but turns aggressive once racing begins. His inspiration is Ayrton Senna, and he owns a genuine 1984 autograph from the legend.
How Old Is Kimi Antonelli: 2025 Season
Antonelli’s rookie season opened in Melbourne, where he recovered from an early spin to finish P4.
He led laps in Japan and grabbed his first F1 podium with P3 in Canada.
In Miami, he set the mark as the youngest polesitter across any race format.
A mid-season slump hit around Imola, followed by a second Monza crash and a real confidence dip under media pressure.
He bounced back late in the year, defending against Max Verstappen in Brazil and charging from 17th to 3rd in Las Vegas.
He finished 7th overall with 150 points, a rookie season record.
How Old Is Kimi Antonelli: 2026 Season
The 2026 season brought new technical regulations for all 11 teams. At the Chinese Grand Prix, Antonelli became the youngest-ever pole sitter in F1 history, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s long-standing record.
He turned that pole into his maiden victory, Italy’s first F1 win since 2006. He then won the Japanese Grand Prix, becoming the youngest-ever championship leader in the sport.
He added consecutive wins at Miami, Canada, Monaco, and Belgium. By mid-season, he led teammate George Russell and Lewis Hamilton by around 50 points.
How Old Is Kimi Antonelli: Records Held
At the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, he became the youngest driver ever to lead a lap and set a fastest lap in F1.
He also holds the record for youngest polesitter in any session format.
His 150-point rookie season is the most points any first-year driver has scored. At the Chinese Grand Prix, he became both the youngest Grand Prix polesitter and the second-youngest race winner in history.
He is the only driver to convert his first three poles into wins, and he claimed wins in his first five races of that stretch.
How Old Is Kimi Antonelli: Career Stats and Memorabilia
His career numbers stand out: 36 entries, 6 wins, 13 podiums, 392 career points, 6 poles, and 8 fastest laps.
His teammates have included George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and Frederik Vesti.
Off the track, a whale-tail necklace from his mother travels with him as a good-luck charm.
His helmet design pays tribute to his first go-kart helmet and the Italian flag.
He also owns a custom number 12 cap and the original trophy from his Chinese Grand Prix win, since Mercedes let him keep it instead of the usual replica.
Conclusion:
Conclusion: How Old Is Kimi Antonelli and Why His Age Matters So Much
So, how old is Kimi Antonelli? At just 19 years old, this young Italian driver has already achieved what many seasoned professionals spend an entire career chasing, and that single fact is exactly what makes his story so compelling to fans, analysts, and casual followers of the sport alike.
Born on 25 August 2006 in Bologna, Italy, Antonelli’s rise from a five-year-old karting enthusiast to a record-breaking Formula 1 champion contender has unfolded at a pace that few could have predicted, even those closest to him within the Mercedes Junior Programme.
His age is not just a number on a birth certificate; it is the lens through which every one of his achievements becomes even more remarkable, because each milestone he reaches, he reaches earlier than almost anyone who has ever sat in an F1 cockpit.
Consider the sheer weight of what he has done before turning 20: he became the youngest driver to lead a lap and set a fastest lap in Formula 1 history, the youngest polesitter across any race format, the youngest-ever Grand Prix polesitter, the second-youngest race winner the sport has ever seen, and, most strikingly, the youngest championship leader in the history of Formula 1.
Each of these records ties directly back to his age, and each one adds another layer to the answer of how old is Kimi Antonelli and why it matters so profoundly in a sport where experience has traditionally been treated as a prerequisite for greatness.
From his early days racing go-karts under his father Marco Antonelli’s watchful eye, through his rapid climb across Formula 4, Formula Regional, and Formula 2, and into a Mercedes seat that once belonged to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, Antonelli has consistently defied the normal timeline that young drivers are expected to follow.
He skipped Formula 3 entirely, absorbed a punishing rookie season in 2025 that included both a first F1 podium and a very public confidence dip, and emerged from that difficult stretch stronger, faster, and hungrier heading into 2026.
That resilience, shown at such a young age, speaks to a maturity well beyond his years, and it is part of why so many people searching for how old is Kimi Antonelli are often surprised to learn just how much he has accomplished in so little time.
Whether you are a longtime Formula 1 follower or someone who just heard his name for the first time this season, understanding his age gives real context to everything else about him, from his family background and his bond with his father’s team AKM Motorsport, to his cherished whale-tail necklace and his tribute-filled helmet design, right through to his championship-leading 2026 campaign.
In the end, the question of how old is Kimi Antonelli is really a question about how far raw talent, discipline, and early opportunity can carry someone when everything aligns at exactly the right moment, and if his trajectory so far is any indication, the racing world has not seen anywhere near the full extent of what this 19-year-old Italian driver is capable of achieving in the years still ahead of him.
How old was Kimi Antonelli when he joined F1?
Antonelli was 18 years old when he made his F1 debut at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix.
Has Kimi Antonelli won in F1?
Yes, he claimed his maiden victory at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix and has since added several more wins.
What is Kimi Antonelli’s nationality?
Kimi Antonelli is Italian, born in Bologna, Italy.
When did Kimi Antonelli start F1?
He started his F1 career in 2025, driving for Mercedes alongside George Russell.
What is Kimi Antonelli’s birthday?
His birthday is 25 August 2006, making him 19 years old.
