If you’ve been following the 2026 Formula 1 season at all, you know that Andrea “Kimi” Antonelli is the driver to watch . The 19-year-old Italian driver for Mercedes is having his best career season yet as he’s leading the World Drivers’ Championship—even more impressive when you remember this is his second season in F1 as a whole. We’re entering the second leg of the 2026 season with the European circuits (Monaco, Barcelona, Austria) and Antonelli is currently the youngest championship leader in F1 history. Lee Mackenzie, a notable F1 analyst and presenter told Complex , “Many drivers arrive in F1 surrounded by hype, but few live up to it.” If you haven’t been paying attention to Mercedes’ rising star, now is the time to start. Here’s what you should know about him: The Anontelli Racing Gene Like many Formula 1 drivers before him (and certainly after him), Kimi’s start in motorsport wasn’t by coincidence.…