After clinching the world championship in Mexico City while battling a lingering illness, Kimi Antonelli has finally provided an update on his health. The 20-year-old revealed that he struggled with a virus throughout the entire Grand Prix weekend, even missing media day to focus on recovery.
Now in Brazil, the newly-crowned champion feels much improved. Speaking to the media, Antonelli jokingly suggested that the Sunday night championship celebrations might have been the perfect medicine to finally clear the virus from his system. While he admits he is not back to 100 percent fitness, the mental weight of the title race has significantly dissipated.
"I feel better. I think all the viruses left my body after the celebration on Sunday night," Antonelli said. "I think they left my body, so I definitely feel better. I'm still recovering a bit, but I feel better than I did in Mexico. Now that the championship is done, I think I will be able to enjoy driving even more. But the important thing is going to be not to relax too much."
The whirlwind of becoming the youngest world champion has left the Italian with little time to process his achievement. Following his victory, he made an emotional visit to the Ayrton Senna family estate in Tatuí, where he sat in the legend's iconic 1986 Lotus 98T—a moment he described as an incredible experience that he has yet to fully digest.
Despite the season still having rounds to go, the Mercedes driver is already looking ahead. For Antonelli, the preparation for 2027 begins now. He is determined to finish the current campaign on a high note to carry vital momentum and confidence into next year.
"I would have liked a bit more time to just digest what happened, but I'm actually very excited to be here. My 2027 preparation starts now, so it's going to be important to finish the season well and strongly, in order to have the confidence going into 2027," he added.
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