Kimi Antonelli's father, Marco Antonelli, shared his immense pride and joy following his son's historic Formula 1 title win in 2026. Speaking after the Mexico Grand Prix, where Kimi secured the championship with a third-place finish, Marco stated that his son "makes himself stronger and stronger." This victory made the 20-year-old Antonelli the youngest F1 world champion.

Kimi Antonelli had a remarkable journey, making his F1 debut just the previous year, stepping into the shoes of the legendary Lewis Hamilton, who moved to Ferrari for 2025. Marco Antonelli was a constant presence in the Mercedes garage throughout the 2026 season, offering unwavering support. He described his relationship with Kimi as 'special,' emphasizing the importance of being a supportive figure during both triumphs and challenges.

"Step by step he makes himself stronger and stronger and stronger, and this is the result," Marco told Sky Sports F1, highlighting Kimi's continuous growth. He humbly added, "I did nothing special; I did only the job that I think that each father (does) with his son and his family, and so we are here. I'm very proud of it."

The senior Antonelli recounted his emotional reaction upon realizing Kimi had clinched the title. "I said to him, I don't know if you know, you are the champion. I cried!" he shared with F1 TV. He acknowledged the immense pressure Kimi faced, particularly when replacing a seven-time world champion. "The position that Kimi had last year was very difficult... I'm very happy that after the bad period he had the capacity to restart and take the experience to improve himself, and I think that this is the result." Marco concluded by expressing his deep connection to the sport, saying, "For me the celebration is here on track – around the fans, around you, around the cars. This is my life."

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