Reported by Al Jazeera
Kimi Antonelli, F1’s youngest world champion at 20, has become the life and soul of the paddock with his personality.
Kimi Antonelli has sparked affectionate tributes from all quarters of the Formula One paddock after becoming the sport’s youngest world champion at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
The 20-year-old Italian finished third for Mercedes on Sunday behind Red Bull’s four-time champion Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton – who then hoisted him aloft as a carnival of celebrations began.
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“It’s a very special day,” said Antonelli’s race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, who has worked with seven-time champions Michael Schumacher and Hamilton and regards the new champion – Italy’s first since 1953 – as another generational talent.
“I feel privileged to work with him and to put up with his pranks and tricks, including the water pistols and the rest. It’s him all over.”
Antonelli said it was “truly incredible” to share the podium with multiple champions Verstappen and Hamilton.
“I’m looking forward to more battles with them in the future,” he said. “This is just the beginning. This win is just going to mark a beginning, a new point to build on and keep improving and keep trying to win a championship.”
The sound of engines and smell of exhausts have been part of Antonelli’s life since he was a child.
The Mercedes driver was barely 10 when he sat on his father Marco’s lap behind the wheel of a competition Lamborghini, changing gears and guiding the car around a racetrack while his father operated the brake and accelerator pedals.
He was eight when his racing driver dad smuggled him into the Formula One paddock for the first time inside a stack of tyres with an umbrella on top.
“Sometimes we may look like lunatics because we just talk about racing,” Antonelli said of his close relationship with his father and the passion they share.
“We like to analyse things together. Racing is always in our minds. We have a lot of fun together, and racing is our passion. It’s what I live for.”
The son of Elisabetta,…