Andrea Kimi Antonelli was born on 25 August 2006 in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. His father, Marco Antonelli, is a sportscar racing driver and owner of the San Marino–based AKM Motorsport racing team. Antonelli began kart racing at age seven and won championships in several categories. He signed to the Mercedes Junior Team in 2018. In 2020, Antonelli won the European Championship in the senior direct-drive OK class and was named the FIA Karting Rookie of the Year by the CIK-FIA. He successfully defended his European Championship in the OK class in 2021.
Antonelli made his junior formulae debut in the 2021 Italian F4 Championship with Prema. In 2022, he remained with Prema in Italian F4 and also competed in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship with Prema, winning both titles. He represented Team Italy in the Formula 4 Cup discipline of the FIA Motorsport Games at Paul Ricard, winning the gold medal. Antonelli then contested the Formula Regional Middle East Championship with Mumbai Falcons and secured the title. He progressed to the Formula Regional European Championship in 2023, remaining with Prema, and clinched the championship. Antonelli bypassed the international FIA Formula 3 Championship, progressing directly to FIA Formula 2 in 2024 with Prema, winning two races and finishing sixth in the standings.
In April 2019, Mercedes announced that Antonelli had joined their Junior Team. He conducted his first two-day test with the team in April 2024, driving the W12 at the Red Bull Ring. Antonelli made his free practice debut at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, taking part in the first session in George Russell's W15. He signed for Mercedes in 2025, replacing Lewis Hamilton to partner George Russell. With his debut at the Australian Grand Prix, he became the third-youngest driver in Formula One history at 18 years and 203 days old. He achieved his maiden podium finish in his rookie season at the Canadian Grand Prix and became the youngest driver to set a fastest lap. Mercedes emerged as the lead contender in 2026, with Antonelli winning four Grands Prix while becoming the youngest-ever polesitter in China and the youngest World Drivers' Championship leader in Japan.
As of the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix, Antonelli has achieved four race wins, three pole positions, six fastest laps, and eight podiums in Formula One. He is contracted to remain at Mercedes until at least the end of the 2026 season.
In May 2023, Antonelli debuted in sportscar racing, competing for his father's AKM Motorsport outfit in the opening round of the Italian GT3 Championship at Misano, driving the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. He won the first race from pole position. He co-founded the kart racing team AKM Motorsport by Kart Republic alongside his father in 2023, where he serves as a driver coach and chassis tester. He is the subject of a short documentary film, The Seat (2025), distributed by Netflix.
Antonelli selected the number 12 as his personal number in Formula One, citing inspiration from his idol, Ayrton Senna. He passed his driving test six weeks before his Formula One debut. From 2023 to 2026, Antonelli was in a relationship with Czech kart racer Eliška Bábíčková. His racing helmet uses a base colour of Savoy blue, with green, white, and red details, inspired by the national colours of Italy.
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