Mercedes has confirmed Kimi Antonelli will remain with the team in 2026, and Toto Wolff believes the Italian will show the “real Kimi ” next season. Kimi Antonelli Driver More commonly known by his middle name, Kimi , he was born in Bologna, Italy, in 2006 and joined the Junior Programme in April 2019, off the back of various titles and wins in the junior karting categories. Kimi Antonelli bounced back from a tough triple header in superb fashion as he claimed his maiden podium at the Canadian Grand Prix, contributing to a wholly successful outing for Mercedes. Andrea Kimi Antonelli ’s rise to the F1 grid has been nothing short of meteoric. Son of sportscar racer Marco, the Bologna native was scouted by Mercedes during a karting career that saw him collect a scarcely believable number of winner's trophies. He went on to make his car racing debut aged just 15, with more titles swiftly following – in both the Italian and ADAC F4 championships in 2022 and the Formula Regional Middle East and European categories a year later. Most onlookers saw F3 ...
