Sticking to 12: Why Antonelli is rejecting F1’s number 1 for 2027

Kimi Antonelli will not carry the prestigious number 1 on his Mercedes next season, opting instead to break with recent Formula 1 tradition as the newly crowned 2026 World Champion.

While recent titleholders like Max Verstappen and Lando Norris wasted no time trading in their personal digits to proudly emblazon the leader's mark across their nosecones, the 20-year-old Italian is taking a radically different route.

Fresh off becoming the youngest world champion in F1 history – surpassing Sebastian Vettel's long-standing record – Antonelli confirmed he has zero interest in swapping out his trusted #12.

A tribute to history and staying grounded

Antonelli's bond with the number 12 runs far deeper than mere preference; it bridges his earliest racing memories with the legacy of his childhood hero, Ayrton Senna.

Antonelli first raced with #12 during his single-seater debut in Formula 4, and by securing the 2026 crown, he became the first driver since Senna in 1988 to win the World Championship carrying that exact digit.

When asked following his title-clinching drive in Mexico City whether the number held too much personal sentiment to give up, Antonelli confirmed his decision without hesitation.

“I think I'll stay with number 12,” he revealed. “I'll stay with number 12 because, obviously, it's a very special number for me.”

Yet behind the sentimental homage lies an intentional psychological reset. Throughout a high-stakes 2026 campaign, Antonelli’s trademark humility stood out just as much as his raw speed.

Even after his recent masterclass performance in Austin, he brushed off self-praise regarding his nerve under pressure, choosing instead to credit his family and the Mercedes pit wall. Retaining his familiar digit is a conscious effort to protect that exact mindset.

“It's also a way for me to stay grounded, to stay humble,” Antonelli explained. “I feel like keeping number 12 allows me to have a new point where to start and to build on everything again and try to improve more.”

The jinx of the top number

If honoring Senna and maintaining a clean mental slate form the emotional heart of his choice, a healthy dose of paddock superstition provides the final push.

Antonelli admitted that his past encounters with the leader's digit have been anything but victorious.

“To be honest, I'm very superstitious and number one has never been a good number for me,” Antonelli laughed. “Whenever I put it [on], it went extremely badly! So that’s one more reason to stay with number 12.”

That intense aversion to jinxing his luck was on full display throughout the high-altitude weekend at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

According to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, well-wishing guests and eager fans began prematurely offering championship congratulations as early as Friday practice – sending the superstitious youngster into overdrive as he tried to block out the noise.

• Read also: F1 grid unites in praise of new world champion Antonelli

“I kept hearing the same thing over and over again,” Antonelli admitted during the post-race press conference. “And, you know, I'm quite straightforward on this: until it's done, it's not done.

“So, I knew that I still wanted to finish the job well, and it's not easy when you keep hearing from many people, guests, fans, congratulations for the championship. Knowing myself, I'm very superstitious. And I'm telling you, it's not easy for me, especially being that superstitious!”

With the championship officially locked up, Antonelli can finally breathe a sigh of relief. And when the 2027 season lights go out, the reigning king will defend his crown not as #1, but under the lucky #12 that brought him to the pinnacle of motorsport.

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