Kimi Antonelli made history at the Mexican Grand Prix by securing the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship at just 20 years old, cementing his status as the youngest champion in the sport’s history.
While the young Italian celebrates his milestone title with Mercedes, former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has voiced a bold prediction regarding the teenager’s long-term career trajectory.
Massa believes that while Antonelli’s current alliance with the Silver Arrows is ideal for his early development, the driver will eventually transition to Ferrari to chase further world titles. Speaking about the newly crowned champion, Massa expressed strong conviction about the Italian’s future path in the sport.
Massa noted that he has already discussed his long-term outlook with Antonelli’s father. According to the Brazilian, the early stages of the driver’s career are best served by the German outfit, but a switch to Maranello is a logical progression for a multi-time champion.
“I’m convinced. I even told his father. I think his choice to go to Mercedes was perfect, because they did an incredible job with him and he had the opportunity to develop quickly and have everything he needed to win, under an incredible driving style like Toto Wolff’s,” Massa told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I hope he stays with them to win two, three, five World Championships… and then goes to Ferrari to try to continue winning there too.”
Massa’s belief in Antonelli stems from observations made long before the Italian reached the pinnacle of motorsport. Having retired from Formula 1 in 2017 following a stint with Williams, the Brazilian has kept a close eye on emerging prospects.
He first noticed Antonelli on the karting circuit when the future champion was only 13 years old. While he did not explicitly predict a world title at that exact moment, Massa recognized a distinct level of raw capability.
“I’ve known him since he was 13, when he was still racing karts. He was always a humble, respectable, and very nice guy, but then when he got behind the wheel, he had something different, something unique,” Massa recalled.
The journey to the championship was not without hurdles, particularly following a difficult Formula 2 campaign in 2024 and a challenging rookie transition into a seat previously held by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff emphasized that shielding and mentoring the young driver was critical during barren spells.
Wolff noted that Antonelli endured a difficult run of nine races without points last season. Reflecting on those struggles to PlanetF1, the Mercedes boss asserted that few other organizations would have kept faith through the turbulence.
“What I’m particularly proud of is that I don’t think he would have lasted in other teams, after an F2 season which wasn’t overwhelming, and this spell of nine races without any points last year,” Wolff said.
With the Drivers’ title secured in Mexico City, attention immediately shifts to the final team objective of the season. Mercedes is aiming to capture the Constructors’ Championship this weekend in Brazil, which would mark their first team crown since 2021.
The Silver Arrows hold a strategic advantage heading into Sao Paulo, needing only to outscore Ferrari by three points to seal the team championship and cap off a historic campaign for their young star.
