There is something magical, almost heretical, in what is happening. In an Italy where hearts usually beat in unison for the Reds of Maranello, here comes a nineteen-year-old from Bologna to shake everything up. Quietly, with a clean look and the gaze of someone who knows exactly where to place the wheels, Kimi Antonelli has won everyone over. It’s not just speed; it’s that ancient, almost unsettling maturity he has shown in this second season in the big leagues. A young man who drives like a veteran, without making noise—except for the lap times.
In this glimpse of 2026, the Mercedes talent has already signed a collection of thrilling records. He could conquer more by Christmas if the pace remains the same. Others, however, will remain unreachable: unless he finds a DeLorean to go back in time and snatch them from those who carved them before him.
Its blossoming, however, is not an isolated case. It coincides with a Formula 1 that has changed its skin, a technical revolution that has tested even steel and carbon to their limits. Look at the brakes: the cooling holes on the discs have multiplied, dense as thoughts, while the monobloc calipers have become as light as feathers, yet more robust in their supports and pistons.
In this new era, the Brembo Group has not stood by: it has stepped onto the stage, acting as the common denominator among the eleven teams on the track. But don’t call it just a supplier. Brembo has become a provider of solutions, a desk mate sitting next to the engineers of each team to co-design the soul of braking.
A task that has led to eleven different solutions, eleven scores played with millimetric precision. Because every single-seater has its own character, and every team has its own needs, its secrets, its geometries. At Brembo, they listened to everyone, creating a braking system tailored to each team, customized to meet the needs of those who must manage infernal temperatures and braking spaces that close in the blink of an eye. It’s the ability to offer the same, absolute certainty underfoot, but expressed in eleven different languages: a technological democracy that guarantees everyone, from the veteran to the rookie, the best possible way to challenge the limit.
Moving on to Antonelli, here are the main records he has broken in Formula 1:
1 - Youngest to lead a GP for at least one lap
In his third F1 appearance, at the 2025 Japanese GP, Antonelli took the lead on lap 22 and remained there uninterrupted until lap 31: that day he was 18 years, 7 months, and 12 days old. By doing so, he broke Max Verstappen's record as the youngest driver to lead a GP for at least one lap by just 3 days—a record the Dutchman had set at the 2016 Spanish GP.
2 - Youngest to achieve a fastest lap in a race
Still at Suzuka, on April 6, 2025, Antonelli set the fastest lap of the GP on the fourth-to-last lap of the race: on the final lap, Oscar Piastri came dangerously close to him but remained 74 thousandths behind. Even in that case, Antonelli broke the record held by Max Verstappen, who had achieved the fastest lap at the Brazilian GP in 2016 at 19 years, one month, and 14 days.
3 - Youngest in pole position
Last March in China, during his 26th GP, Antonelli secured pole position with a 222-millisecond advantage over teammate George Russell. At 19 years, 6 months, and 18 days old, he became the youngest poleman in F1 history, breaking Sebastian Vettel's record, which was set at the 2008 Italian GP with Toro Rosso equipped with Brembo calipers at 21 years, 2 months, and 11 days old.
4 - Youngest to achieve the triple: pole position, victory, and fastest lap
On the weekend of March 14 and 15, 2026, in Shanghai, Antonelli came close to perfection: not only did he secure pole position, but he also claimed victory, becoming the youngest driver to achieve a double in F1. Not stopping there, he also set the fastest lap, becoming, at 19 years, 6 months, and 19 days old, the youngest driver to achieve a triple. This broke Sebastian Vettel's record, who had achieved a triple at 21 years, 11 months, and 18 days old.
5 - Youngest to lead the World Championship
Thanks to the 25 points earned by winning the last Japanese GP, Antonelli has overtaken Russell in the championship standings, becoming the youngest ever to lead the World Championship at 19 years, 7 months, and 4 days. The previous record holder was Lewis Hamilton, who with his 2nd place at the Spanish GP in 2007 overtook Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso in the standings: the Englishman was 22 years, 4 months, and 6 days old.
6 - Youngest winner of 3 consecutive GPs
Before Antonelli, three drivers had won at least 3 GPs in a row before turning 24: the record was held by Sebastian Vettel, who won the last 2 GPs of 2010, in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, and the first GP of 2011, in Australia. When he won in Melbourne, he was 23 years, 8 months, and 24 days old. Kimi Antonelli, on the other hand, won this year in China, Japan, and Miami, completing the triple at 19 years, 8 months, and 8 days old.
7 – Youngest Grand Chelem achiever
At the last Monaco GP, for the first time in his career, Antonelli led from the first to the last lap. The Italian also won the race, set the fastest lap, and secured pole position. In doing so, he became the youngest driver to achieve a Grand Chelem, breaking the record held by Max Verstappen by just under 4 years at the age of 19 years, 9 months, and 13 days.
These are the records that Antonelli will no longer be able to break in Formula 1 and his position in the respective rankings:
1 - Third youngest to compete in a GP
Antonelli made his F1 debut at the 2025 Australian GP, at 18 years, 6 months, and 19 days old. Lance Stroll did better, debuting at the 2017 Australian GP at 18 years, 4 months, and 26 days old, but most notably Max Verstappen made history at the 2015 Australian GP, driving for Toro Rosso at the age of 17 years, 5 months, and 15 days.
2 - Second youngest to score points
Antonelli finished his first GP in fourth position, 10 seconds behind Lando Norris, thus earning his first points at 18 years, 6 months, and 19 days. Max Verstappen, however, did better because, after retiring in his debut, he achieved 7th place in the next race, the 2015 Malaysian GP, at 17 years, 5 months, and 29 days.
3 - Third youngest on the podium
Antonelli climbed onto the podium for the first time at the 2025 Canadian GP, finishing 3rd just one second behind the winner, at the age of 18 years, 9 months, and 31 days. He was beaten by Max Verstappen, who reached the podium at 18 years, 7 months, and 15 days at the 2016 Spanish GP, and Lance Stroll, who reached the podium at 18 years, 7 months, and 27 days at the 2017 Azerbaijan GP.
4 - Third youngest on the front row
Antonelli narrowly missed the front row in his sixth appearance, falling short at the Miami GP 2025 by just 2 thousandths. He achieved it for the first time at the São Paulo GP 2025, qualifying 2nd. However, the record belongs to Lance Stroll at 18 years, 10 months, and 5 days at the Italian GP 2017, 24 days younger than Max Verstappen at the Belgian GP 2016.
5 - Second youngest GP winner
Only 2 drivers have won a GP before turning 21: Antonelli claimed his first victory at 19 years, 6 months, and 18 days, at the 2026 Chinese GP. Max Verstappen, on the other hand, triumphed at the 2016 Spanish GP during his debut with Red Bull, which also used Brembo systems, at 18 years, 7 months, and 15 days.
Finally, these are the records Antonelli aims to break in Formula 1:
1 - Youngest Sprint Winner
Of the 7 drivers who have won at least one Sprint, a format introduced only in 2021 with the British GP, the youngest to do so was Oscar Piastri: during the Qatar GP 2023, he was only 22 years, 6 months, and one day old. Antonelli therefore has just under 3 years to break his record.
2 - Italian with the most F1 victories
Before Antonelli, the last Italian to win a GP was Giancarlo Fisichella at the Malaysian GP in 2006. In total, 16 Italian drivers have won a GP, but only one has reached double digits: Alberto Ascari claimed 13 GPs from 1951 to 1953. Seven decades later, this record might finally fall.
3 - Youngest World Champion
In the third millennium, the age of world champions has significantly decreased: Fernando Alonso became champion in 2005 at 24 years, 1 month, and 27 days; Lewis Hamilton in 2008 at 23 years, 9 months, and 26 days; and Max Verstappen in 2021 at 24 years, 2 months, and 12 days. However, the record belongs to Sebastian Vettel, who was crowned champion in 2010 at 23 years, 4 months, and 11 days. Antonelli has the opportunity to break this record in 2026, 2027, 2028, or even in 2029. If he succeeds, he would become the first Italian Formula 1 driver to win the world championship with Brembo brakes.