He’s 19 and dominating F1. How does Mercedes keep Kimi Antonelli so grounded?

At 19 years old, Kimi Antonelli is in his second F1 season and currently leads the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship standings by 50 points. He has already become the sport's second-youngest race winner, youngest championship leader, and youngest pole-sitter, with a chance to become F1's youngest world champion if he wins the title this year or in the next three seasons. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and the broader Mercedes support network have been credited with keeping the young Italian driver grounded amid intense media attention, particularly from the Italian press.