MEXICO CITY, Nov 1 - The sound of engines and smell of exhausts have been part of Kimi Antonelli's life since he was a baby.

The Mercedes driver, who became Formula One's youngest champion at 20 years old in Mexico City on Sunday, was barely 10 when he sat on his father's lap behind the wheel of a competition Lamborghini, changing gears and guiding the car around a racetrack while Marco operated the brake and accelerator pedals.

He was eight when his sportscar racer father 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 told Reuters of his close relationship with his father and the passion they share.

"We like to watch onboards together. 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."

IN THE SHOES OF HAMILTON

Antonelli was snapped up by Mercedes as an 11-year-old karter, and they have invested heavily -- some $10 million at least -- in what they see as a generational talent and born racer.

His chance came when Mercedes suffered a lean patch and seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, who won six of his titles with the British-based team, decided to move to Ferrari and created a vacancy for 2025.

Despite the family background, racing was not a given for Antonelli before Mercedes came along.

"My dad didn't want me to race because, unfortunately, when he was racing himself, he had to face this reality: He didn't have any financial support, and he couldn't keep going with his racing career... he didn't want me to face the same kind of disappointments he had faced back then," he said last month.

Antonelli's practice debut at Monza in 2024 was a tough baptism when he crashed in front of his home crowd, and last year was a rollercoaster in which he made mistakes and tested the limits. Paddock critics said he was being handed too much too young, and should not be in Formula One.

There have been few errors this year, with new rules and a different kind of racing, and those critics have had to eat their words.

Although Antonelli was well beaten by Russell in 2025, with the Briton starting this year as title favourite, he ripped up the script by securing five straight victories from China to Monaco -- where he was the youngest ever winner -- and his progress to the coronation has been both regal and inevitable for some time.

The youngster has won at tracks fast and slow, and stood out for his calm, natural joy of racing and as the leader of a new generation.

"He came to my office just before getting dressed (for the race in Austin) and just sat on the sofa and said 'I'm going to enjoy this one. And isn't it funny, I'm not thinking at all about the championship'," Mercedes team principal and co-owner Toto Wolff said. "So he also has the right mindset."

HOME IN SAN MARINO, NOT MONACO

At Monza this year Antonelli carved his way from the back of the grid to become the first Italian winner at the "Temple of Speed" since 1966, a sensational achievement even if -- according to Wolff -- still not as good as the win in Austin.

The rewards, even as a Mercedes driver in a country where Ferrari is a national obsession, are evident, but Antonelli has no plans to join the many Formula One drivers based in Monaco.

He is instead building a house in San Marino with plenty of garage space, and likes to hang out with friends -- usefully also serving as the designated driver on evenings out -- and live as normally as possible.

"I don't think he's at risk of becoming the kind of flamboyant young superstar," team boss Toto Wolff told Reuters.

"He goes to the car wash on the Monday morning. He loves the car that he has and people are very surprised to find him there, hoovering his car.

"But he has his good group of friends around and people that care. And he's fine with that." REUTERS