Kimi Antonelli marked his first Formula 1 world title with a visual reference that reached beyond Mercedes. After the Mexican Grand Prix, where he secured the championship mathematically, the Italian driver arrived at the team’s Brackley headquarters with his hair coloured green, white and red. The occasion was a celebration not only of Antonelli’s drivers’ title but also of Mercedes’ constructors’ championship, and his appearance gave the factory gathering an unmistakably Italian character.

The plan had apparently been kept for Antonelli’s return to Europe. During the journey between Mexico City and São Paulo, he had indicated that he wanted to do something out of the ordinary before addressing the workforce. He entered with George Russell shortly before the official speech, surprising team principal Toto Wolff and drawing laughter and applause from the employees, technicians and senior figures gathered at the factory. The moment was recorded by Mercedes’ internal cameras.

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team later shared the video through its official social channels with the short caption “Non abbiamo parole”. The clip quickly spread across social media, helped by the contrast between the formal setting and Antonelli’s deliberately playful appearance. The colours were more than a championship accessory: they connected a major Formula 1 milestone with a familiar episode from Italian motorcycle racing.

The Imola memory

The reference leads back to the 1998 Grand Prix at Imola. Valentino Rossi was competing in the 250 class for Aprilia and arrived at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit with his hair coloured in the green, white and red of the Italian flag. He went on to win the race, turning the hairstyle into one of the most recognisable images associated with that period of his career.

Marco Melandri was part of the story behind the idea. He had told Rossi and Uccio that he intended to colour his hair for the Romagna round, prompting Rossi to recognise the impact such a gesture could have. The precise sequence of the two riders’ plans is less important than the shared connection: a deliberately bold piece of styling became tied to the race weekend and to Rossi’s victory at Imola.

Almost three decades later, Antonelli’s Brackley appearance revived that same combination of speed, national identity and humour. The settings are very different—Mercedes’ highly organised Formula 1 factory on one side, and a 250cc Grand Prix weekend on the other—but the gesture works because it is personal rather than corporate. Antonelli’s tricolour hair turned a formal title celebration into a moment with a clear link to one of Italian motorcycle racing’s most memorable images.