Valentino Rossi Says Kimi Antonelli Could Win Six F1 Championships

Kimi Antonelli’s first Formula 1 title has prompted Valentino Rossi to put a remarkable range on his future: four, five or even six championships. The 20-year-old Italian has already made history as the sport’s youngest champion, but Rossi’s forecast comes with a clear condition — Antonelli needs a car capable of winning.

Antonelli secured the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix with a third-place finish and four races still to run. Max Verstappen won the race, while Lewis Hamilton joined Antonelli on the podium. The result gave the Mercedes driver a first championship unusually early in his career and set up a long-term comparison with two of the sport’s most successful active rivals.

Rossi sees ability and composure beyond one title

Rossi, the Italian motorcycle racing great, said Antonelli’s championship was a historic achievement for a country with a deep pool of motorcycle talent but, in his view, too few Formula 1 drivers able to win races and titles. He expects the new champion to attract worldwide attention, which will bring a different kind of pressure.

“He’ll become a hero, and rightly so, it’s a historic title,” Rossi said. He added that Antonelli would need to manage life as a global star, but judged that challenge manageable if the driver continues performing as he has.

Rossi’s confidence goes back to Antonelli’s karting years. He recalled first hearing about the youngster at Migliaro, where Antonelli set a track record. Rossi said he began following him from that point and saw him stand out in karting. He also credited Toto Wolff’s support in Antonelli’s development, while saying the driver’s performances this season had repaid that backing.

That history gives Rossi’s prediction more shape than a reaction to one championship. He has watched Antonelli’s progress from the early stages, and sees the title as evidence that the promise he noticed in karting has translated to Formula 1. Still, his estimate is a view of potential, not a guarantee of future results.

The car remains the key condition

Rossi said Antonelli “can truly become one of the strongest drivers in history” and named a possible total of four, five or six world championships “if he has the car.” That qualification matters. Sustained title runs depend on having machinery competitive enough to contend across seasons, as well as a driver who can keep delivering under pressure.

The article reports that the current F1 regulations are expected to remain in place for the foreseeable future, a continuity that could help Mercedes stay near the front. But a stable rule set alone can’t guarantee that the team will maintain its advantage. Rivals will keep developing their cars, and Antonelli will have to defend his position against drivers with substantial experience at the top.

Rossi’s comments also put the challenge of celebrity alongside the sporting one. A first title at 20 brings attention that can follow a driver through every race weekend. Rossi, who has experienced life as a motorsport star himself, expects Antonelli to face that adjustment while continuing to compete. His confidence rests on the young Italian remaining much as he is now: fast, focused and able to handle the demands around him.

Verstappen and Hamilton set the comparison

The Mexico podium offered a visual reminder of the competition Antonelli has joined: Verstappen and Hamilton lifted the new champion onto their shoulders, with the three drivers representing 12 world titles between them. The source doesn’t provide a breakdown of that combined total, but the image underlined the scale of the achievement and the experience still competing around him.

Verstappen and Hamilton are expected to challenge for the championship again in 2027. Antonelli’s first title therefore changes the immediate contest: he’ll enter the next season as the driver to beat, while two established champions will be looking to take the crown back. The source also notes that Rossi’s projected total could fall short of the records associated with Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, even if Antonelli reaches the upper end of the estimate.

For now, six titles remain a bold possibility, not a forecast that can be separated from the car beneath him. Antonelli has the first championship; the next measure will be whether Mercedes can keep him in contention and whether he can sustain this level as the attention grows and Verstappen and Hamilton press their challenge.