Kimi Antonelli honours F1 title promise with hilarious Valentino Rossi look
Kimi Antonelli has celebrated his F1 title success in a radical way.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has temporarily dyed his hair in the Italian tricolore in celebration of winning the Formula 1 world championship.
The 20-year-old Italian clinched his maiden world title with four races to spare in Mexico and became the youngest-ever F1 world champion in the process. Antonelli was also his nation’s first drivers’ champion in 73 years.
Speaking to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Antonelli revealed he planned to keep a promise to dye his hair.
"I’ve got the cans! Now I just have to decide whether to do it this weekend or maybe wait until next week when I go to the factory in Brackley and have to speak in front of all the employees," he said. "It would be fun to turn up there with dyed hair.”
Antonelli indeed honoured his promise, by rocking up to Mercedes’ factory in Brackley this week sporting a radical new look.
The moment he revealed his new hairstyle was shared by Mercedes on social media.
“Kimi did it. He actually did it,” Mercedes captioned the video of Antonelli greeting members of the team.
It mirrors the look famously worn by MotoGP legend and one of Antonelli's racing idols, Valentino Rossi, who dyed his hair red, white and green in 1998.
Mercedes celebrated being crowned constructors’ world champions for the first time since 2021 in Brazil.
Having flown back to the UK following the American triple-header, the Mercedes team and drivers finally got to celebrate with the rest of the factory.
The 2026 F1 season is set to conclude with a triple-header of races in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Antonelli also revealed in Mexico that he plans to reward himself for his title triumph by purchasing a new car.
"My parents have always tried to teach me the value of money, and now that I’m earning significant amounts, they want to make sure they know how I spend it and where," Antonelli said.
"But let’s say it’s a fairly easy job with me, because I’m not someone who has expensive hobbies.
"I have my simulator at home, so I have fun with that. I don’t need to go shopping. I spend money on food, things for the house, petrol... and then I buy myself some new tracks to drive on the simulator.
"Let’s say that what my parents have to keep an eye on me about is cars, because there are a couple I’d really like to buy. So I think I’ll treat myself to one for winning the title."
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