Kimi Antonelli just hit a pretty unique milestone – he finally got his regular driver’s license. What makes this funny? He already had his Formula 1 super license.
The 18-year-old Mercedes racing prospect can now legally drive to the grocery store, months after he was cleared to race F1 cars at over 200 mph.
It’s a quirky situation that shows just how young some of racing’s brightest talents are these days.
The sport actually had to change its rules because of drivers like Antonelli. Back in 2015, after Max Verstappen made his F1 debut at just 17 years old, they set a minimum age of 18 for getting a super license.
But in mid-2024, the FIA (racing’s governing body) tweaked things again. They decided some exceptional young drivers could get their super license before turning 18 – even without a regular driver’s license.
Antonelli’s first taste of F1 didn’t go exactly as planned. During practice at his home track in Monza, he crashed his Mercedes into the wall at the famous Parabolica corner.
But that hiccup didn’t shake Mercedes’ confidence in their young star. They’ve already announced he’ll be racing for them in 2025.
So next time you see a teenager struggling to parallel park, remember – they might just be qualified to drive an F1 car.
