APEX RACEWIRE Newsroom
Why Kimi Antonelli is turning down Formula 1's number one for 2027
Newly crowned world champion Kimi Antonelli has confirmed he will keep his traditional number twelve next season instead of claiming the champion's number.
By Lesley Bakker - 2026-11-02T18:08:01.000Z - 3 min read
Formula 1 world champion Kimi Antonelli has confirmed that he will not use the title winner's number one on his car for the upcoming season, choosing instead to stick with his current number twelve. The Italian driver secured his historic world crown at the Mexican Grand Prix at the age of twenty, making him the youngest champion in the sport's history. That milestone granted him the traditional right to replace his permanent race number with the number one, a privilege exercised by recent champions.
Rather than taking up the option, Antonelli explained that keeping his original number serves as a personal grounding mechanism. He noted that retaining the number twelve provides a steady foundation to build upon and helps him stay humble as he moves forward in his career. The choice also carries deep personal significance, as the number was selected to honour his childhood hero Ayrton Senna, who famously raced with it during his Lotus years and his first title-winning campaign with McLaren.
Superstition also played a notable role in his decision to bypass the defending champion's identifier. Antonelli admitted that the number one has historically brought him poor fortune whenever he has used it in past competition. Throughout his single-seater journey, he has predominantly relied on the number twelve, carrying it to championship victories in Italian Formula 4 and the Formula Regional European Championship.
His aversion to the number one likely stems from a painful experience during his karting days. At the 2020 World Karting Championship in Portimao, racing under the number one in wet conditions, Antonelli suffered a high-profile accident involving Maya Weug that left him with a broken left foot and leg. That memory reinforced his reluctance to abandon the digits that have defined his rise through the motorsport ranks.
The decision means that the number one will be absent from the Formula 1 grid for the first time since twenty-twenty-one, contrasting with the choices made by Max Verstappen and Lando Norris after their respective title triumphs. Antonelli has consistently carried the number twelve throughout his junior categories, with the single exception of a Formula 2 campaign in twenty-twenty-four where he raced with the number four.
As he prepares for the upcoming race weekend in Brazil, the young champion has also planned a special tribute to his idol. He revealed that he will wear a dedicated Ayrton Senna helmet design at Interlagos to mark thirty-five years since the Brazilian driver's famous home victory while stuck in sixth gear. Antonelli expressed excitement for the weekend, noting the exceptional support he has received from Brazilian fans since breaking into the championship.
The reception from the grandstands in South America is expected to add to an emotional weekend for the newly crowned title holder. By maintaining his traditional branding and paying homage to Senna on track, Antonelli balances his remarkable early success with a conscious effort to respect the roots of his motorsport journey.