Kimi Antonelli may have produced one of the defining victories of his young Formula 1 career at Monza, but the historic Italian Grand Prix triumph has done little to change the 20-year-old Mercedes driver’s everyday routine. While the Formula 1 world continues to celebrate his home victory, Antonelli’s own response was remarkably simple: he headed to the Franciacorta kart circuit for a day alongside Mercedes engineers and mechanics.
That may be one of the secrets behind Kimi Antonelli’s remarkable 2026 season. The newly turned 20-year-old continues to live within his own racing world without paying too much attention to what happens beyond the areas that matter to him. As exhilarating as the Monza victory was, and as certain as it is to earn a place in Formula 1 history, Antonelli appears to regard it as another step on the road towards his ultimate objective.
Kimi Antonelli returns to karting after historic Monza win
Outside Antonelli’s immediate environment, the reaction has been very different. His Italian Grand Prix victory moved countless fans and also impressed figures inside Formula 1 who have personally witnessed hundreds of wins over the years. Toto Wolff was among them.
Discussing the extraordinary form of the young Italian after his Monza triumph, the Mercedes team principal summed it up with a striking description: “He seems to walk on water.”
Yet one of the strengths of Antonelli and the group surrounding him is their obvious determination to remain grounded. Only a few hours after a victory of such significance, Kimi Antonelli and his family were having dinner in the paddock inside the Mercedes hospitality unit. There was no party and nothing outside the usual routine.
The following day, he was back on track. Not in a Formula 1 car, but in a kart, surrounded by many of the people with whom he shares much of his daily life.
Why normality matters to the 20-year-old Mercedes driver
That sense of normality is arguably one of Kimi Antonelli’s greatest strengths at this stage of his career. At 20, dealing with everything now happening around him is far from straightforward. There are the victories, his position in the Formula 1 championship standings, rapidly growing popularity and now a Monza triumph that seemed almost like something written for a film.
For an Italian driver, winning at Monza inevitably carries a significance that extends far beyond the 25 points added to the World Championship. Any one of those factors could begin to alter a driver’s priorities or perception of his situation. So far, however, there is little indication that this has happened to Antonelli.
He appears to have developed a natural filter for anything he does not consider useful to his objective. That does not mean Kimi Antonelli isolates himself from the outside world. On the contrary, he remains extremely approachable. He simply chooses where to direct his attention.
Driving remains at the top of that list, alongside working with the team and searching for the small details that could make him an even stronger competitor. That focus remains unchanged even while people around him are still trying to fully absorb the scale of what happened at Monza.
Mercedes and Antonelli family protect his normal routine
There is also an important role being played by the people around him. His family, like Mercedes, appears to understand that preserving Antonelli’s sense of normality at this stage may be almost as important as providing him with a competitive Formula 1 car.
There is no need for permanent celebrations or constant reminders of how extraordinary his achievements have become. What matters is allowing him to remain the person he has always been, even though almost everything surrounding him has changed dramatically.
That is perhaps the most interesting paradox of Kimi Antonelli’s current situation. The more reasons there are for the Formula 1 world to regard him as exceptional, the more he appears to hold on to ordinary routines.
Monza already behind Antonelli as focus turns to Madrid
First comes a day in a kart. Then there will be simulator work at Brackley, and soon afterwards it will already be time to head for Madrid for the next Formula 1 weekend.
Monza will remain in the record books, photographs and memories of those who witnessed Kimi Antonelli’s home victory. For the Mercedes driver himself, however, it already seems to have become another experience to carry into the next race.
His ultimate target was never simply to win at Monza. Antonelli has something bigger in mind, with the championship battle continuing as Formula 1 moves into the next phase of the season. The broader implications of the Mercedes drivers’ positions have already become increasingly significant, particularly as the gap between Kimi Antonelli and George Russell shapes Mercedes’ championship situation.
For now, though, the formula around Antonelli remains strikingly uncomplicated: race, learn, improve and move on. Monza may have changed the way much of Formula 1 looks at Kimi Antonelli, but it has not changed the way Kimi Antonelli approaches Formula 1.
