Kimi Antonelli needed only two seasons in Formula 1 to reach the sport’s highest achievement. His victory was secured on Sunday after the Mexican Grand Prix, making the Italian, aged 20, the youngest world champion in the history of Formula 1.
French sports newspaper L’Équipe placed Antonelli on its front page and described his title as the Italian’s “coming of age,” celebrating the emergence of an exceptional talent. Eurosport also praised the arrival of a new Formula 1 star, highlighting Antonelli’s consistency in the fastest car on the grid. He finished in the top five at every race except Silverstone and Barcelona, where technical problems affected his results.
Italian media gave the achievement equally prominent coverage. La Gazzetta dello Sport used the headline “Kimitico,” combining Antonelli’s first name with the Italian word for mythical. The newspaper portrayed him as a young leader who had won over Formula 1 and transformed Mercedes. Corriere della Sera described the championship as a historic moment.
Le Monde focused on Mercedes’ successful investment in the driver, noting that the team had brought Antonelli into its programme when he was 13, in 2019. Spanish outlets also celebrated his achievement: Mundo Deportivo called him the sport’s youngest king, while Marca labelled him “the new saint” and emphasized his toughness both on and off the track despite his emotional reaction at the finish.
Le Figaro said Antonelli had won the title in impressive fashion after taking another podium in Mexico behind Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The Italian now has four remaining Grands Prix this season—São Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi—before beginning the defence of his newly won crown.
Sources: Le Figaro.