In Formula 1, a driver's permanent race number is highly personal. It becomes a central part of their brand, their merchandise, and their legacy. When Kimi Antonelli arrived at Mercedes to replace Lewis Hamilton, he had his pick of available numbers.
He immediately chose the number 12.
For the average viewer, a number is just a digit painted on the nosecone. But for motorsport purists, the number 12 carries an immense, almost holy weight. It was the number that defined the early McLaren career of the legendary Ayrton Senna, the three-time world champion and a man widely regarded as one of the greatest talents to ever sit in a Formula 1 ******* pit.
During a recent appearance on the Significant Figures podcast, Antonelli opened up about the emotional and historical significance of selecting Senna's number, revealing how deeply the Brazilian icon has influenced his own path to F1.
Antonelli was born in 2006, 12 years after Senna's tragic passing at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. However, as the son of a sportscar driver and team owner (Marco Antonelli), Kimi grew up immersed in motorsport history. He spent his childhood watching DVDs of Senna's greatest drives alongside his father.
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He immediately chose the number 12.
For the average viewer, a number is just a digit painted on the nosecone. But for motorsport purists, the number 12 carries an immense, almost holy weight. It was the number that defined the early McLaren career of the legendary Ayrton Senna, the three-time world champion and a man widely regarded as one of the greatest talents to ever sit in a Formula 1 ******* pit.
During a recent appearance on the Significant Figures podcast, Antonelli opened up about the emotional and historical significance of selecting Senna's number, revealing how deeply the Brazilian icon has influenced his own path to F1.
Antonelli was born in 2006, 12 years after Senna's tragic passing at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. However, as the son of a sportscar driver and team owner (Marco Antonelli), Kimi grew up immersed in motorsport history. He spent his childhood watching DVDs of Senna's greatest drives alongside his father.
#number
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