New Formula 1 world champion Andrea Kimi Antonelli has confirmed that he will not race with number 1 in the 2027 season, choosing instead to retain his familiar number 12. The Mercedes driver, who secured his maiden world championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix, explained that keeping his original number is a way of staying grounded as he prepares to defend his title.
The decision also preserves a personal connection to Ayrton Senna, one of the Italian driver’s greatest inspirations alongside his family. Rather than adopting the number traditionally associated with the reigning world champion, Andrea Kimi Antonelli wants to approach 2027 as a fresh beginning.
Kimi Antonelli confirms number 12 decision for 2027 F1 season
AKA 12. No, in this case AKA does not stand for “also known as”. It is simply a convenient abbreviation of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, formed from the initials of his two first names and surname. But the initials are not the most interesting part of the story.
Since 2025, the young Italian has become familiar to Formula 1 fans as AKA, followed by his race number, 12. Andrea Kimi Antonelli chose that number partly in honour of Ayrton Senna, one of his greatest sources of inspiration alongside his family, who have always provided the foundations of the Bologna-born driver’s career.
Just a few hours ago, however, number 12 effectively lost its final digit. Andrea Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1 world champion at yesterday’s Mexico City Grand Prix, held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, after finishing third behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
Beyond the understandable celebrations with Mercedes and his family, the Italian has already revealed a detail about his future that may be irrelevant to performance but has attracted considerable curiosity among Formula 1 supporters. Despite becoming world champion, he will not use number 1 in 2027, even though that number is reserved for the reigning champion.
Instead, Andrea Kimi Antonelli will continue racing with number 12, maintaining the identity that has accompanied him since his arrival in Formula 1.
Why Kimi Antonelli has rejected F1 number 1 after winning the world championship
The reason behind his decision is straightforward. The 2027 season will bring different circumstances and new challenges. Winning a Formula 1 world championship is difficult enough, but successfully defending the title is an even greater task.
For Andrea Kimi Antonelli, retaining number 12 represents more than a personal preference. It is also a way of maintaining perspective, remembering where he started and approaching his next challenge with the same determination.
“It will remain AKA 12, I’ll stick with 12. For me, it’s also a way of keeping my feet on the ground, because keeping 12 is like a new starting point, where I can try to rebuild and attempt to do it again. To stay focused ahead of next year.”
The decision reflects the Mercedes driver’s intention to treat his first world championship not as the end of a journey, but as the beginning of another demanding challenge. Having already demonstrated his potential through performances such as his ninth Formula 1 victory at the United States Grand Prix, Andrea Kimi Antonelli now faces the task of repeating his success as defending champion.
Ayrton Senna remains a major inspiration for Kimi Antonelli
Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s attachment to number 12 is closely connected to Ayrton Senna, who remains one of the Italian’s most important sporting role models. The legendary Brazilian driver has continued to influence his approach to racing, even during the season in which he claimed his first world championship.
That influence extends beyond Ayrton Senna’s achievements on the circuit. Andrea Kimi Antonelli explained that he had spent considerable time studying interviews and performances from the Brazilian’s career, paying particular attention to the mentality with which he approached races and entire championship campaigns.
“Ayrton will always be a source of inspiration as a driver and as a person. This year I found myself rewatching lots of his interviews and his performances on track. But above all, the interviews, to understand how he approached races and the season. He will always be a reference point, just as my family always will.”
For Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the number 12 therefore remains connected to both his personal identity and the influences that have helped shape his career. Even after reaching the summit of Formula 1, the new world champion has chosen to maintain that connection as he looks towards the 2027 season.
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