Kimi Antonelli Becomes Youngest F1 Champion At 20

Kimi Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 world champion in history at 20 years and 68 days on November 1, 2026. The Italian driver secured the title by finishing third at the Mexican Grand Prix, ending a 73-year drought for Italy since Alberto Ascari's last win in 1953. His annual salary is estimated at R$ 10 million. Antonelli, who was born on August 25, 2006, in Bologna, used the number 12 on his car, a number previously used by his idol Ayrton Senna during Senna's 1988 championship-winning season with McLaren.

Senna's Honda NSX sold for £871,000

Ayrton Senna's red Honda NSX, a car intrinsically linked to the late champion's legacy, sold for £871,000 at The London Auction on October 31. The sale price equated to R$ 6.3 million. The vehicle, with chassis number T000233, was originally gifted by Honda to Senna in 1991 and registered on March 22 of that year with the plate SX-25-59.

After Senna's death on May 1, 1994, the car was stored by Nipomotor in Faro, Portugal. Its provenance includes ownership by a Brazilian car dealer based in the Algarve in 2009 and later by a British collector, Robert McGagan, in 2013. A Japanese collector from Nagoya province was its most recent owner prior to the auction.

Antonelli's connection to Senna

Born twelve years after Senna's death, Kimi Antonelli has consistently cited the Brazilian legend as his idol, attributing his admiration to Senna's character and driving skill. In November 2025, during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend, Antonelli visited Senna's tomb in São Paulo. He also possesses an original autograph from Senna, believed to be from 1984, the year of Senna's Formula 1 debut.

Antonelli's championship victory also made him the first Italian to win at Monza since 1966. He secured the 2026 title before the subsequent Brazilian Grand Prix, which was held from November 6 to 8.

Other automotive developments

Several other significant automotive announcements were made concurrently. The 2027 Dakar Rally will return to Africa for the first time since 2007, after being held in Saudi Arabia since 2020. The route will cover 7,824 km with 4,341 km of timed stages across 12 stages and a rest day in Agadir. The 2028 Dakar will return to Saudi Arabia for its 50th edition.

In commercial news, Anfavea, the Brazilian automotive manufacturers association, requested temporary commercial safeguards, a CIDE Automotive tax, and a cap on annual vehicle imports from China set between 75,000 and 90,000 units, representing 2.5% to 3% of the market. In racing, Dodge confirmed its return to the NASCAR Cup Series, with Kaulig Racing leading its program. Tim Kuniskis, head of Stellantis North America, stated the return reflects the brand's DNA of speed and immediacy; the announcement was made at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, with a car reveal scheduled for December 4, 2026.