On the Saturday of the race weekend in Italy, the worst kept secret in the F1 paddock was finally confirmed: Kimi Antonelli will be a Mercedes driver in 2025. The 18-year-old Italian has been the subject of much discussion and speculation. Here, we present five intriguing facts about Antonelli.
1. Named after Räikkönen? Not at all!
One might assume that a current driver named Kimi must have been named after former driver Kimi Räikkönen. However, this is not the case. Antonelli, whose full name is Andrea Kimi Antonelli, was named Kimi by a family friend. The friend suggested the name to Antonelli’s parents, who agreed. According to the young Italian himself, his name has absolutely nothing to do with the Finnish driver.
So, should we call him Andrea Kimi Antonelli or simply Kimi Antonelli? The latter is preferred, as that’s how the driver himself consistently introduces himself.
2. Antonelli’s Racing Number: 12 or 7?
Mercedes has announced that it is still undecided which number Antonelli will use in Formula 1. Number 12 seems logical, as Antonelli has previously raced with this number in other classes and it is his personal preference. He also used this number during the free practice of the Italian Grand Prix. However, Jack Doohan, the new driver for Alpine, also wants to race with number 12. According to Mercedes’ official website, number 7 might not be a bad choice either. Indeed, this is the number that another Kimi always raced with. The PR and marketing department would certainly enjoy this. More to follow.
3. Antonelli: The 85th Italian in Formula 1
Antonelli will be the 85th Italian driver in Formula 1. He is the successor of Antonio Giovinazzi, who raced his last F1 race in 2021. Since Antonelli’s birth, only five Italians have raced in the premier class of motorsport. Besides Giovinazzi, these were Giancarlo Fisichella, Jarno Trulli, Vitantonio Liuzzi, and Luca Badoer.
4. Third Youngest Ever
At the start of the 2025 season in Melbourne, Antonelli will be only 18 years and 203 days old. However, this does not make him the youngest driver ever in a Formula 1 race. That honor remains with Max Verstappen (17 years and 166 days), followed by Lance Stroll.
5. Thirteenth Mercedes Driver
According to Mercedes, as an F1 team, they have had twelve drivers represent the brand in their history. This makes Kimi Antonelli driver number thirteen. His twelve predecessors include big names: Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Andre Simon, Hermann Lang, Piero Taruffi, Karl Kling, Hans Herrmann, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, and George Russell.
