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F1 Champion Antonelli Rejects #1 for 2027 Season
· Confirmed
In Short: Kimi Antonelli, leading the Formula 1 world championship, says he will not use the #1 for the 2027 season, citing superstition.
Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Italian driver leading the Formula 1 world championship, announced he will not use the #1 for the 2027 season, citing superstition and past bad luck.
Antonelli, who currently leads the Drivers' standings with a 41-point lead over Lewis Hamilton, said, 'I’m very superstitious, and number 1 has never been a good number for me. Whenever I put it, it went extremely badly.'
When asked about his superstition, Antonelli added, 'They’ve thrown so many curses at me these days. I never mention it.' He also noted, 'I’d like to get back to winning ways. It’s been a while.'
Antonelli's reluctance to discuss the championship is rooted in superstition. He said, 'No, actually, I’m pumped. Again! I’ll just take Lewis’s compliments, we’ll see about the rest.'
Despite his superstition, Antonelli remains focused on the races ahead. He stated, 'To get there, I have to win, take one race at a time.'
Antonelli's rise to the top of Formula 1 has been meteoric. Born in Bologna on Aug. 25, 2006, he began karting under the guidance of his father, Marco, a sports car driver and team owner.
Antonelli's fearless driving style and recent string of five consecutive victories have made him the sport's hottest rising star. He has become a target for comparisons to Ayrton Senna, but Antonelli is quick to distance himself from such comparisons.
Antonelli said, 'Yes, he's my idol, he's someone I get inspired, but I just feel like it's not really fair to get compared to him, especially at this stage of my career, because it's just the beginning and there's still so much to achieve, so much to do and so much to improve, and I feel like I'm still very far from his level.'
Antonelli's team has also noted the impact of the new update package on his performance. 'The team analyzed the data and saw some interesting things from the new update package,' said Antonelli.
While Antonelli is leading the championship, he remains grounded and focused on the task at hand. 'The atmosphere does not feel especially different this weekend despite the title situation,' he said.
What this adds
Antonelli's decision to avoid the #1 is consistent with his superstitions and past experiences, as he has previously cited bad luck associated with the number.
Background
Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Italian driver leading the Formula 1 world championship, has announced he will not use the #1 for the 2027 season.
Formula 1 world champion Kimi Antonelli will not use the #1 for the 2027 season, citing superstition and past bad luck.
What's confirmed
- “Get in there, Kimi. Champion of the world,” said his race engineer Peter Bonnington, a regular target for the young driver’s practical jokes.
What's still developing
- (GMM) Kimi Antonelli (pictured) is trying hard not to talk about his first Formula 1 title match point in Austin – and admits superstition is part of the reason.
- Asked by Corriere della Sera whether he had fully realized he could become world champion on Sunday, Antonelli immediately pushed back.
- Yet while others search for historical comparisons, Antonelli is making it clear he has no interest in being presented as the next Ayrton Senna.
- “We did it. Thank you so much,” an emotional Antonelli said on the team radio after he took the checkered flag.
- George Russell finished sixth in the Mexico City GP as his Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli sealed the Drivers' Championship; Mercedes were fined after excusing Russell from carrying out his post-race media duties; Toto Wolff says Russell was "distraught" after the "catastrophic moment" Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Toto Wolff has revealed that Mercedes excused George Russell from carrying out his post-Mexico City Grand Prix media duties because the British driver was "distraught" after seeing his team-mate Kimi Antonelli clinch the Drivers' Championship.
- Antonelli, by comparison, is cruising to the title and set to clinch it after 19 rounds.
- Antonelli stormed to victory at the Italian Grand Prix, despite having started 19th on the grid.
- Follow GP Fans 2007 F1 world champion Kimi Antonelli was spotted in the Red Bull garage during the Italian Grand Prix this weekend as the team reportedly eyes a driver signing for the future.
- Antonelli held onto his lead at the start of the 56-lap race as second-placed Verstappen suffered a poor getaway.
- Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka subdued American Taylor Townsend 6-4 6-3 on Sunday to reach the US Open quarter-finals without dropping a set.
- Hamilton takes first pole for Ferrari at Mexico City Grand Prix F1 has never had anyone like me - Hamilton How to follow Mexico City Grand Prix on the BBC Russell said it was "obviously inevitable" that Antonelli would win the championship, adding it would be "most likely this weekend".
- AUSTIN, Texas — Kimi Antonelli is sitting on the cusp of history.