‘He was immediately fast’ – Kimi Antonelli’s junior racing boss on his early potential and his rise to the top

Kimi Antonelli’s ascent to Formula 1 World Champion has been meteoric, coming in only his second season in the sport, and at an age where most drivers are typically striving to graduate from junior categories.

The young Italian spent only three-and-a-half years on the FIA single seater pyramid, but was with the legendary PREMA outfit every step of the way. We sat down with PREMA’s former head honcho Rene Rosin to reflect on Antonelli’s remarkable rise.

Until 2026, the Rosin family operated the highly successful PREMA team that competed across junior motorsport, and it was with them that Antonelli worked his way up the ladder before landing a seat at Mercedes.