Newly crowned Formula 1 world champion Kimi Antonelli says he is already looking ahead to his title defense in 2027, using the remaining races of the 2026 season as preparation.
The 20-year-old Mercedes driver became the youngest champion in F1 history last weekend in Mexico City, securing the title in only his second season. He will make his first appearance as champion at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos this weekend (6-8 November).
Preparation for 2027 starts now
"I'm actually very excited to be here," Antonelli said on Thursday. "It's a good opportunity for me to, first of all, try to finish the season on a top, but I also feel like that my 2027 preparation starts now. It's going to be important to finish the season well, strong, in order to have the confidence and also to be able to get the confidence ahead of 2027."
Tribute to Ayrton Senna
On Tuesday, Antonelli visited the property of the family of the late three-time champion Ayrton Senna and sat in one of Senna's Lotus cars from the 1980s. He will wear a special helmet design paying tribute to the Brazilian legend at Interlagos this weekend.
Antonelli admitted the whirlwind of the past days has left little time for reflection. "I would have liked a bit more time to just even digest what happened," he said. "I had such a crazy sequence of events in these days. I won the championship, then spent time with the Senna family, which was already an incredible event. So definitely, I would have liked a bit more time to just sit down and like reflect and realise what happened." He added that the idea of being world champion "still feels surreal."
Special moment with Hamilton and Verstappen
One of his most treasured memories from the Mexican Grand Prix podium was being lifted onto the shoulders of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. "I already framed the picture and definitely will put it on the wall because it's such a moment. Who would have said it? I wouldn't have expected to celebrate my title in that way. So definitely when they picked me up was the cherry on top of the cake," Antonelli said. He expressed gratitude to the two multiple champions for the genuine gesture and hopes to thank them properly in a calmer setting.
The Sao Paulo Grand Prix runs from 6-8 November, with live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.
