Kimi Antonelli is on the verge of becoming Formula 1’s youngest ever world champion, and the Mercedes driver already has a bold celebration in mind.
The 20-year-old Italian has dominated the 2026 season, arriving at the United States Grand Prix in Austin holding a commanding 102-point lead over team-mate George Russell in the drivers’ standings.
With six rounds of the championship remaining, Antonelli has a genuine opportunity to seal the title as early as this weekend in Texas.
To clinch it in Austin, however, he would need to win the race while Russell finishes ninth or lower and Lewis Hamilton, third in the standings, comes home fifth or below.
It is a narrow set of circumstances, but few doubt that Antonelli lifting the trophy is ultimately a question of when rather than if.
When that moment does arrive, the young Italian has hinted that Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff could find himself on the receiving end of an elaborate prank.
Throughout the 2026 season, Antonelli and his race engineer Pete Bonnington, known as Bono, have engaged in an ongoing series of pranks, including cake attacks, fire extinguisher incidents, and a memorable hot sauce revenge from Bono.
Wolff has so far been considered entirely off limits, but Antonelli suggested in a recent interview with The Athletic that a championship win could change everything.
“This is next level,” Antonelli said when discussing the prospect of pranking Wolff. “You need to have big balls to do that.”
The young Italian elaborated further on his thinking, making clear that a strong championship result would be his justification for going after his team principal.
“But you know… [I’ve] got to finish well in the championship, and finish well this year so I have a reason to do it,” he added. “Then he won’t complain too much about it. But that’s next level.”
It would undoubtedly be a bold move, but winning Mercedes their first drivers’ championship since 2020 would be about as strong a defence as anyone could offer.
Antonelli leads the standings on 340 points, with Russell second on 238, Hamilton third on 229, Max Verstappen fourth on 221, and Charles Leclerc fifth on 215.
The United States Grand Prix in Austin presents the first real opportunity for Antonelli to make history and, perhaps, finally give Toto Wolff something to worry about off the track.