Teen Sensation Antonelli Returns to Miami Chasing More Formula 1 Glory

For most of Formula 1, the five-week break caused by the cancellation of two races due to the war in the Middle East offered a chance to reset and upgrade the race cars for the remainder of the schedule.For 19-year-old Kimi Antonelli, the sport’s newest obsession, the break was an unwanted interruption.“For some drivers, the break was probably needed,” Mr. Antonelli said. “For me, it felt pretty long. I can’t wait to get back to racing. I miss it.”The Italian prodigy became the youngest championship points leader in Formula 1 history after back-to-back victories in China and Japan. The feat added to a growing collection of milestones redefining expectations for a driver still in teens.But then came the cancellation of races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, causing an unwanted interruption in his path to glory.Instead of celebrating Mr. Antonelli’s hot start and teenage storyline, F1 spent the last five weeks clamoring about needed upgrades to the cars to make the racing more competitive. Four-time driver champion Max Verstappen dominated most of the headlines by threatening to leave the sport if it remains in its current form.Somehow the focus returned to the old men in the sport with Mr. Verstappen complaining about the Red Bull car or Lewis Hamilton dating Kim Kardashian. Mr. Antonelli, whose good looks and Italian charm are a marketer’s dream, was lost in their shadows.Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix around Hard Rock Stadium offers a chance to prove Mr. Antonelli is more than a two-week wonder, and someone that must be dealt with throughout the season. “I’ve got what it takes to be champion,” he said this week, in a bold declaration that is becoming difficult to dismiss.Mr. Antonelli’s rise has been meteoric. He was tabbed to replace Mr. Hamilton when the 7-time champion driver moved from Mercedes to Ferrari before the 2025 season.At age 18 and 224 days, Mr. Antonelli became the youngest driver to lead a race and the youngest to set the fastest lap. This year, he became the youngest Grand Prix Pole Sitter and the second-youngest race winner.His age precluded him from indulging in the traditional post-race celebration with champagne in Japan. “It was a non-alcoholic beverage,” he admitted.Mr. Antonelli is an eligible bachelor after recently ending a relationship with Czech karting driver Eliska Babickova. The two had been dating since 2023. Most teenagers might spend their free time at the beach or adding followers to their social media profile. But Mr. Antonelli spent the break examining the past and preparing for the future.“It was good to reflect after the first races,” he said. “To think about everything — the wins, what happened, what I did well and what I can improve.”He also participated in Pirelli tire testing, drove GT machinery to maintain sharpness and made time to visit MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi.Talent is not unexpected at his age; reflection, discipline and emotional balance at 19 are less common.“I train a lot,” he said. “I push myself to be in the best shape possible. It’s going to be an intense season.”Italy has not celebrated this kind of emerging F1 star in decades. He’s already the first Italian driver to win consecutive Formula 1 races since 1953, and continues to carry the hopes of a country starved for Formula 1 glory.He returns to Miami where he earned his first F1 pole position in Spring Qualifying a year ago, but the larger unknown is how the upgrades made by the competition will impact this and future races.It’s known McLaren, Red Bull Racing and Ferrari have made significant upgrades to move closer to Mercedes, which has dominated the early portion of the season. Mercedes, meanwhile, is applying the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” theory, preferring to implement any change a little at a time.“It’s going to level a lot of the playing field,” former Grand Prix winner turned broadcaster Pablo Montoya said. “Whatever advantage Mercedes had in terms of strategy, is going to reset for everybody.”With 19 races still to go, Mr. Antonelli could be headed to a magical season or become an early footnote. Mercedes driver George Russell, who won the season opener in Australia and trails his teammate by nine points, put it this way: “If you’re running the London Marathon, after three miles, you’re not thinking about the finish line,” he said. “We’re in race four, but, of course, he’s done an amazing job so far.”Mr. Antonelli said he’s looking forward to a “very interesting” Miami Grand Prix, which is entering its fourth year. “We’re not really bringing anything, to be fair,” he said, “just very small things, while other teams bring big upgrades. So, let’s see how we’re going to do. For sure they’re going to be closer, and we might have to fight quite a bit more this weekend.”

Teen Sensation Antonelli Returns to Miami Chasing More Formula 1 Glory

More from the New York Sun

Collectivists Turn May Day Into a High Holiday

U.S. Floats Netanyahu–Aoun Meeting as Path to IDF Exit From Lebanon

Louisiana Lawmakers Advance Bill Protecting College Faculty Members’ Ability To Engage in the ‘Rigorous Exchange of Ideas’

More from the New York Sun

Collectivists Turn May Day Into a High Holiday

U.S. Floats Netanyahu–Aoun Meeting as Path to IDF Exit From Lebanon

Louisiana Lawmakers Advance Bill Protecting College Faculty Members’ Ability To Engage in the ‘Rigorous Exchange of Ideas’

Assassination Attempt Exposes Danger of Liberal Bias — and Outright Trump-Hatred — at America’s Universities

The Marriage Gap Is the Biggest Cause of Inequality in America, but Gets the Least Attention

Kentucky Derby Arrives With History, Heartbreak, and Change in the Air

Actress Takes a Beating From Harvey Weinstein’s Lawyers Over Secret ‘Love Note’: It’s Latest Example of Why This Rape Case Is So Hard To Prove

A Tale of Moral Courage in World War II, Chronicled Through Cartoons