The Italian Grand Prix was just typical of the kind of performances we’ve seen from Kimi Antonelli this year. Just one year removed from being a rookie thrown into a Mercedes, he went from 19th on the grid and, after a red flag and a storming effort, overtook teammate George Russell in the final laps and became the first Italian driver to win at Monza since 1964.
The ability displayed by Antonelli at his age is astonishing, and virtually unprecedented. The mix of a driver displaying this much ability in machinery capable of winning the Driver’s World Championship is beyond rare. Now it looks like almost a formality. Will he become world champion and if he does, will he break the record as the youngest world champion ever?
The youngest world champions in F1 history
The F1 World Championship has been around since 1950, and plenty of drivers have lifted the Driver’s Championship in that time. But for many years, it was not a sport that favoured young talent at the top of the pyramid.
Sebastian Vettel has held the record since 2010, becoming champion at 23 years and 133 days after a dramatic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He had arrived early, setting records as the youngest points scorer in 2007 and the youngest pole sitter and race winner with Toro Rosso in 2008, but had to wait until he was 23 to claim the ultimate prize.
Lewis Hamilton previously held the mark, winning his first title in 2008 at 23 years and 300 days, clinched on the last corner of the last lap in Brazil. He’s one of the only potential challengers to Antonelli’s title hopes, and you check the odds and bet with a 1xbet promo code to bet on the eventual world champion.
Fernando Alonso held the honour of youngest ever before Hamilton, ending Michael Schumacher’s run of five consecutive titles by winning in 2005 at 24 years and 57 days, then backed it up with a second championship in 2006.
Max Verstappen broke Vettel’s youngest-race-winner record in 2016 at just 19, but his first title finally arrived in 2021, claimed at 24 years and 73 days in one of the most dramatic finishes the sport has seen.
Antonelli will blow all of these records out of the water. If he were to win the Driver’s World Championship, he would do so at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December at 20 years and 103 days old, a full three years younger than Vettel.
So, will Antonelli win the title?
Nothing is certain in Formula One. Antonelli, as of the Italian Grand Prix, holds a 66 point lead over his teammate George Russell, with Lewis Hamilton in third 10 points behind him. A DNF or two from Antonelli, or Mercedes’ development falling off a cliff, would make things nervy at the front.
Despite that, it doesn’t look like anyone will catch Antonelli. His performances are composed and consistent, he looks every bit the World Champion at the wheel of the Mercedes, outperforming his much more experienced teammate who doesn’t look like closing the gap. There’s still plenty of races left to pick up points, but right now Antonelli is the serious favourite.
