Kimi Antonelli’s first podium marks a new record for the young Italian, making him the third-youngest driver ever to achieve this feat. A new star is born.
A star is born from a state of initial chaos, the result of two opposing forces: on one side, gravity pulls a nebula inward, with particles colliding in disorderly motion; on the other, internal pressure pushes it to expand. Then comes the spark — and pressure turns into light. Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s path to Formula 1 wasn’t much different.
His dramatic entry into the circus came perhaps earlier than expected — a call to arms that even cast doubts on Toto Wolff’s management, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team principal, who had to fill the void left by a seven-time world champion like Lewis Hamilton. “Too soon, he still needs to cut his teeth,” critics said when rumors of Antonelli’s early debut in the top category spread through the paddock. Yet, the Austrian’s choice is proving to be more right than ever.
Just as a star resists collapse and begins to shine once the core of a nebula reaches high enough temperatures, Antonelli has shown he can handle pressure — transforming the chaos of debut experiences into methodical precision. He has reached the maturity levels demanded at the top, turning the weight of an early debut, the criticism, and Hamilton’s legacy into the raw energy of his first Formula 1 podium at the Canadian Grand Prix — at just 18 years, 9 months, and 22 days old.
So, if at the Miami International Autodrome all doubts were already cast aside after his first pole position, at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, a boy from Bologna raised on the roar of engines and Ayrton Senna races has become a star — a light that now shines once more on the Italian flag in motorsport.
It’s a hot seat — but not for the young man who earned his place among racing’s elite with a champion’s mindset and the humility of someone who knows there’s still so much to learn. He relies on a close circle: his father Marco, always by his side on race weekends; George Russell, acting like an older brother and who celebrated the podium with a strong embrace; and finally, the former Austrian driver now leading the Brackley team, along with Peter Bonnington.
Kimi Antonelli’s First Podium: “I felt it was going to be a special day”
Before the formation lap, there was something different in Kimi Antonelli’s eyes — an aura, strong yet undefined, surrounding the young Italian. During his final briefing with his race engineer, he kept his gaze focused, his posture upright, his mind clear, and his nerves steady — fully aware that yesterday could, and maybe had to, be special. At the race start, Antonelli had no doubts — immediately overtaking the current 2025 World Championship leader to claim third, right behind Max Verstappen.
Speaking 70 laps later to Sky Sport F1 Notebook with Marc Gené and Ivan Capelli, Antonelli confirmed those earlier sensations: “Before the start, I felt it could be a special day. I was confident in our race pace and knew we could fight for something important. On the grid, I tried to isolate myself completely — even visually. I didn’t look around, I kept my gaze down, focused. I was preparing mentally because I knew the start would be crucial.” .
June 15, 2025, will be remembered as the day a new motorsport star was born — Andrea Kimi Antonelli: a young man born to race, a diamond steadily refining its edges to become a champion in this sport.
Photo: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.