Formula 1 has a new world champion, and he has already made one of the most personal decisions of his title defence. Kimi Antonelli will not take the No. 1 reserved for the reigning champion in 2027. He will stay with No. 12, the number he has carried since his junior career and the number made famous by his hero, Ayrton Senna.
Antonelli confirmed the decision after clinching the 2026 drivers' title in Mexico City, where third place took him to 380 points and settled the championship with races to spare. Now, in his first race as champion, he heads to Interlagos for the São Paulo Grand Prix on 6–8 November with a special Senna tribute helmet, 35 years after Senna's legendary 1991 home win.
Why Antonelli is keeping No. 12
The reigning world champion is entitled to run No. 1, but Antonelli said No. 12 means more to him than the champion's number. "I'll stay with number 12 because, obviously, it's a very special number for me, but also it's a way for me to stay grounded, to stay humble," he said. "I feel like by keeping number 12 it allows me to have a new point where to start and build on everything again and try to improve."
He has also said that No. 1 has not brought him luck in the past. Instead of treating the title defence as a victory lap, he wants a clean starting point, and the familiar number is part of that mindset. In doing so, he follows the example of Lewis Hamilton, who kept No. 44 throughout his championship years with Mercedes rather than switching to No. 1.
The Senna connection runs deep
Antonelli chose No. 12 to honour Ayrton Senna, who raced with it during his Lotus years from 1985 to 1987 and in his first title-winning campaign with McLaren in 1988. Antonelli is the first driver since Senna to win the world championship carrying No. 12, and both men scored their first Grand Prix victories with the number: Senna in 1985, Antonelli this season.
The tribute continues at Interlagos. "I will have a special helmet for Brazil, for Ayrton," Antonelli said. "Also because it's going to be 35 years since he won in sixth gear, his home race, and I think it's one of my best helmets that I've made."
Senna's 1991 Brazilian Grand Prix win is one of the most famous in Formula 1 history. Stuck in sixth gear for the closing laps, he held on to win at home in front of a delirious Interlagos crowd. That the new champion, at 20 the youngest world champion in the sport's history, chooses that race for his first tribute as champion says everything about where he places himself in the sport's story.
What is still to play for in Brazil
The drivers' title is settled, but the São Paulo Grand Prix is far from a dead rubber. It is round 20 of 23, and Mercedes can clinch the constructors' championship at Interlagos. Mercedes lead Ferrari 630 points to 504, a gap of 126 points, and outscoring Ferrari on Sunday would settle the teams' title.
Behind Antonelli, the fight for second in the drivers' standings is tight. Max Verstappen is second on 261 points, just two ahead of Lewis Hamilton on 259. Verstappen arrives with real momentum: wins at Sepang, Singapore and Mexico City, plus third in Austin, have given him 98 points from the last four weekends, and he will be Mercedes' biggest threat in Brazil after beating Hamilton by just 0.799 seconds in Mexico.
There is also a home hero to watch. Gabriel Bortoleto arrives at his home Grand Prix after his best weekend in weeks, finishing eighth in Mexico City from 13th on the grid for Audi. Interlagos, short, old-school and famously unforgiving, has a habit of rewarding brave drivers, and a home crowd can lift a driver beyond what the car alone promises.
São Paulo Grand Prix schedule and track
The São Paulo Grand Prix runs from Friday 6 November to Sunday 8 November at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, better known as Interlagos. Unlike last year, there is no Sprint this weekend: three practice sessions, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday.
- Friday 6 November: Practice 1 at 12:30 local time (10:30am ET), Practice 2 at 16:00 local (2:00pm ET)
- Saturday 7 November: Practice 3 at 11:30 local (9:30am ET), qualifying at 15:00 local (1:00pm ET)
- Sunday 8 November: São Paulo Grand Prix at 14:00 local (12:00pm ET), over 71 laps
The circuit is 4.309 kilometres long, runs anti-clockwise, and is loved by drivers for its elevation changes and overtaking chances into Turns 1 and 4. Interlagos weather is famously unpredictable, and showers are in the forecast for the weekend, which could turn strategy and the constructors' fight on its head. Pirelli is bringing its softest three compounds, the C3 Hard, C4 Medium and C5 Soft, which should open up different strategies across the 71 laps.
For Antonelli, though, this weekend is about more than points. His first race as world champion comes at the home of the driver whose number he wears, in front of fans who adopted Senna as their own. Keeping No. 12 is a statement of intent: the title has not changed him, and the next chapter starts exactly where the last one did.
FAQ
Will Kimi Antonelli use No. 1 in 2027?
No. Antonelli has confirmed he will keep No. 12 for his 2027 title defence, saying it keeps him grounded and gives him a fresh starting point, even though the reigning champion is entitled to run No. 1.
Why does Antonelli race with No. 12?
He chose it to honour Ayrton Senna, who used No. 12 at Lotus and in his first championship season with McLaren in 1988. Antonelli is the first champion since Senna to win the title with that number.
When is the São Paulo Grand Prix 2026?
The race weekend runs from 6–8 November at Interlagos, with the Grand Prix on Sunday 8 November at 14:00 local time (12:00pm ET) over 71 laps. There is no Sprint this weekend.
Can Mercedes win the constructors' title in Brazil?
Yes. Mercedes lead Ferrari 630–504, and outscoring Ferrari at Interlagos would clinch the constructors' championship with three rounds still to run.
Sources
- RaceFans: "I'll stay with number 12" – no number one in 2027 for new champion Antonelli — https://www.racefans.net/2026/11/02/ill-stay-with-number-12-no-number-one-in-2027-for-new-champion-antonelli/
- The Race: Why Antonelli's rejecting #1 for 2027 F1 season — https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/why-antonellis-rejecting-1-for-2027-f1-season/
- Sky Sports: Sao Paulo GP 2026 dates, schedule, weather and how to watch — https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/13607071/sao-paulo-gp-2026-dates-schedule-weather-uk-start-time-and-how-to-watch-or-stream-f1-race-at-interlagos-in-brazil-live-on-sky-sports
- Grande Prêmio: Antonelli reveals special Ayrton Senna tribute helmet for 2026 São Paulo F1 Grand Prix — https://grandepremio.com/en/f1/antonelli-reveals-special-ayrton-senna-tribute-helmet-for-2026-sao-paulo-f1-grand-prix/
