Kimi Antonelli has done something in 2026 F1 season that only Ayrton Senna had ever achieved

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Kimi Antonelli has had a record-breaking start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, and he has even matched Ayrton Senna after the first three races.

The 19-year-old leads the championship by nine points over Mercedes teammate George Russell, becoming the youngest F1 driver in history to top the standings. Antonelli has won the last two races from pole position in China and Japan.

How the championship looks after Japan

Which drivers are out of position heading into the break?

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Subsequently, Antonelli is the first teenager to win consecutive races, a feat that not even Max Verstappen could accomplish. The Red Bull driver won once as a teenager, winning on his debut for the Milton Keynes outfit at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.

Antonelli admitted he was ‘lucky’ to win in Japan as he fell down the order at the start after a poor launch off the grid. A safety car gave him the lead back after Oscar Piastri pitted before it was deployed, handing the Italian a victory under circumstances that only Senna had ever done before.

Kimi Antonelli and Ayrton Senna are the only F1 drivers to win after dropping outside top five on the opening lap

Antonelli fell to sixth off the start after once again struggling to get the right launch. Teammate Russell also had a poor getaway and could only manage fourth as he too was caught out by the safety car.

But Antonelli was able to regain control of the race and claim his second win in a row. It was exactly what Senna managed to do back in 1988.

The two drivers are the only talents in F1 history to win a race from pole position after dropping outside the top five on the opening lap of the Grand Prix.

Coincidentally, both of these races happened at Suzuka. Furthermore, Senna won his race in 1988 by 13 seconds, the same margin that Antonelli beat Piastri by in 2026.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Mercedes F1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli earns Ayrton Senna comparison after 2026 start

Senna is Antonelli’s idol for his F1 career, as he has admitted several times in the past. With his performances with Mercedes, many people are starting to liken the Italian to the three-time champion.

Rene Arnoux is reminded of Senna by Antonelli, given how he controls the field in varying conditions.

Despite the flattering statements, Antonelli has said he does not like the Senna comparisons. He wants to make a name for himself in the sport, and right now, he is certainly on track to do that.