Heading into the race weekend at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Kimi Antonelli stands on the verge of motorsport history after securing his ninth victory of the season at the Circuit of the Americas. The 20-year-old Italian driver is on the cusp of clinching his maiden Formula 1 world drivers' championship with Mercedes, cementing a stellar rise to the pinnacle of global single-seater racing.
As per longstanding tradition in the sport, the reigning world champion earns the privilege of displaying the number '1' on their car for the following season. This honor currently belongs to Lando Norris following his championship triumph with McLaren last year. However, amidst the British driver's struggles in the latest technical era and Antonelli's dominant form aboard the W17 charger, that prestigious privilege is destined to change hands.
Despite being fully eligible to claim the champion's number for the 2027 campaign, Antonelli has revealed a surprising personal preference. He intends to bypass tradition and stick with his signature number 12, a famous digits deeply associated with his childhood hero and three-time world champion Ayrton Senna.
"First, I have to get the job done in Mexico," Antonelli told Blick when discussing his impending title coronation. "लेकिन I think that once that’s done, I’ll still be racing with number 12," the young charger added, outlining his firm stance on his car identity.
Should he follow through with the choice next season, Antonelli will join an exclusive club in the modern era of grand prix racing. Aside from Lewis Hamilton famously retaining his iconic number 44 throughout his championship-winning years, very few drivers have opted against running the number one plate when presented with the golden opportunity.
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