For Marco and Veronica Antonelli, their son Kimi’s rise to the top of Formula 1 has been anything but a surprise. They saw the signs early on — long before the world knew his name.

They met at a gym in 1997 and began dating in 1999. They were not married, but they shared a passion for racing that would soon shape their family life. When Veronica was pregnant with Kimi, she felt him kicking as she watched a race at Magny-Cours. Later, when labor pains began, they went to the movies to see Cars. It was hardly a conventional start to parenthood, but racing was already part of the family.

Kimi Antonelli as a child with his father, Marco.

Kimi grew up in the paddock. His father would carry him around in a baby carrier, and the stroller was a familiar sight in the pit lane. As he got older, the challenge was to balance his racing career with school. Even as he competed at the highest levels, he had to keep up with his studies and prepare for his high school graduation exams. George Russell, a fellow driver, even helped him with math.

To his parents, however, he is still Andrea — the name they use at home — and the boy they have always known. They describe him as sharp and quick-witted, though they insist his sister Maggie is even sharper. The family has never lost its sense of perspective, despite the fame and attention that now surround him.

And money has not changed that. Kimi still lives on an allowance, his parents say. The family also runs an image-management company in San Marino, but they have tried to keep his public profile grounded and his private life as normal as possible.

His fascination with cars began early. He was behind the wheel for the first time when he was just one year old; by the age of three, he was already using a simulator. At ten, he was driving a Lamborghini. His parents say he was born to drive — a passion that seemed to come naturally, even as they did everything they could to support it.

Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli celebrates with parents and sister after winning the world championship title

Marco’s own background was in mechanics and racing, while Veronica came from a farming family in Veneto. Their lives were far removed from the glamour of Formula 1. Veronica often cooked for the team and accompanied Kimi to karting races, while Marco helped guide his son through the demanding world of motorsport.

They have been there through every stage: the early karting years, the sacrifices, the long trips and the pressure of a career that began when Kimi was still a child. They have watched him grow from a boy in the paddock into one of the sport’s biggest names.

And now — though that is almost beside the point — he is the World Champion.

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