Italy’s 73-year drought in Formula 1 ended on Sunday in Mexico. Kimi Antonelli, a 20-year-old Bolognese who has been part of Mercedes’ driving program since he was a karting star at the age of 11, clinched the world championship with a third-place finish at the Mexico Grand Prix, becoming the first Italian F1 titleholder since Alberto Ascari in 1953 – and the youngest champion the sport has ever seen, the The Wall Street Journal reports.
Antonelli, son of former racing driver Marco Antonelli, took the seat vacated by Lewis Hamilton last season after Mercedes reportedly invested more than $10 million in his rise to the junior ranks. The victory did not come from an Italian Ferrari but from a German car, a twist noted by the Italian. Gazzetta du Sportwhich credited “his talent, the car, and not the race in a Ferrari”. The Journal notes that Italy has had almost 60 governments since the last Italian F1 champion, Alberto Ascari, hoisted the trophy in 1951.
Max Verstappen and Hamilton, who finished first and second in Mexico, carried Antonelli on their shoulders to the top of the podium. Antonelli was congratulated by other Italian sports stars, including tennis great Jannik Sinner, the AP reports. “Mamma mia Kimi, what have you managed to do!” said sinner. “Congratulations on your first world championship… you have brought home something incredible. And know that all of Italy is proud of you.” The AP notes that one of Sports GazzettoThe title of the article was a quote from Antonelli’s mother: “He still gets pocket money every month.”
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