Andrea Kimi Antonelli will not use the number one on his car, which is reserved for world champions, next year.
The Mercedes driver succeeded Lando Norris as the reigning world champion with his third-place finish in yesterday’s Mexican Grand Prix. But while Norris swapped his regular number four for the champion’s one, Antonelli will not do the same.“I’ll stay with number 12 because, obviously, it’s a very special number for me,” he said. “But also it’s a way for me to stay grounded, to stay humble.
“I feel like by keeping number 12 it allows me to have a new point where to start and build on everything again and try to improve.”
Antonelli admitted there is an element of superstition in his preference to stick with his current number.
“Also, to be honest, I’m very superstitious, and number one has never been a good number for me. Whenever I [used] it, it went extremely badly. So that’s one more reason to stay with number 12.”
Prior to racing in F1, Antonelli used number 12 when he won the European and Middle East Formula Regional championship titles in 2023, and the Italian Formula 4 title the year before.
He is the first driver to win the world championship using number 12 since Ayrton Senna in 1988. Both drivers also scored their first grand prix victories with number 12: Antonelli this year, Senna in 1985.
Antonelli is planning a tribute to the Brazilian three-times world champion at this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
“I will have a special helmet for Brazil, for Ayrton,” he said. “Also because it’s going to be 35 years since he won [while stuck] in sixth gear in his home race.
“I think it’s one of my best helmets that I’ve made, hopefully you guys, everyone, will like it.”
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