# The Antonelli you don't know: Inside the Mercedes garage with F1's new world champion

> Mercedes F1 driver Kimi Antonelli's playful antics and deep team bonds lead to his world championship win.
- Title: The Antonelli you don't know: Inside the Mercedes garage with…
- Summary: Mercedes F1 driver Kimi Antonelli's playful antics and deep team bonds lead to his world championship win.
- Keywords: kimi antonelli, mercedes, world champion, f1 garage, practical jokes, whipped cream, team trust, early crashes, family dynamics, f1 debut, f1 championship, Autosport
- Source: Autosport — https://autosport.com/f1/news/the-antonelli-you-dont-know-inside-the-mercedes-garage-with-f1s-new-world-champion/10874265
- Author: Roberto Chinchero
- Published: 2026-11-13T10:04:48+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kimi antonelli, mercedes, f1, world champion, f1 garage, practical jokes, whipped cream, team trust, early crashes, family dynamics, f1 debut, f1 championship
## Kimi's playful habit
Kimi Antonelli, 20, pinches crew members' nipples before qualifying.

> He grabs everyone, pinches people's nipples, slaps them all over and generally causes chaos
## Team trust built through jokes
Antonelli's mechanics say he creates a relaxed garage atmosphere with laughter.

> With Kimi, you feel completely comfortable. There's no awkwardness, no tension when you speak to him
## Whipped cream tradition
Antonelli celebrates colleagues' birthdays with whipped cream face coverings.

> Kimi started this thing with whipped cream in people's faces
## Early crashes and lessons
Antonelli crashed twice in 2024, damaging chassis at Abu Dhabi and Monza.

> At Abu Dhabi, he crashed and damaged the chassis. Luckily, we'd brought a spare one
## Family support during crashes
Antonelli's father Marco rushed to help after crashes, causing family tension.

> Marco was on the other side of the track. When Kimi crashed, he immediately set off to get to him
## Apologies and growth
Antonelli apologized for car damage after crashes, showing emotional maturity.

> He kept apologising for the damage to the car and for all the work we'd caused
## Quick team integration
Antonelli learned all mechanics' names within two days of joining.

> After a couple of days, he already knew everyone's name
## Melbourne car repair
Mechanics fixed Antonelli's car after FP3 damage for qualifying.

> I've no idea how you managed to get my car back on track
## Monza victory
Antonelli won from 19th on the grid at Monza.

> He fought his way to victory from 19th on the grid
## Austin victory
Antonelli converted pole position to win at Austin with maturity.

> He converted an unexpected pole position into a victory delivered with remarkable maturity
## Championship win
Antonelli became F1's youngest world champion at Mexico City.

> It was not simply the joy of a team celebrating a world championship
## Family dynamics
Antonelli's family shows affectionate support for his racing career.

> You can be working away and suddenly someone comes up and gives you a hug from behind
## Team trust
Mechanics feel personally invested in Antonelli's success.

> When Kimi has a bad day, we feel bad too
## Growth over time
Antonelli grew from teenager to world champion while maintaining team bonds.

> It's incredible to think how much he's grown in such a short space of time
## World champion
Antonelli is F1's youngest world champion at 20 years old.

> He's the youngest world champion
## Key takeaway

Kimi Antonelli, 20, became F1's youngest world champion through trust with his Mercedes garage crew after early crashes and family challenges.