Overview
- Time published its 2026 list on Wednesday, June 10, naming Kimi Antonelli and fellow Italian Jannik Sinner among the 100 most influential figures in world sport.
- Antonelli has taken pole in five straight races — China, Japan, Miami, Canada and Monaco — and converted each into a victory, a streak that made him the youngest driver to lead the F1 drivers’ standings.
- Time highlighted Antonelli’s rapid rise from rookie to global star by recalling that he sat and passed his high‑school final exams soon after his first podium last year and was chosen to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
- Team context for the coming races includes Ferrari showing stronger form, a mandated rookie FP1 outing for Dino Beganovic, and the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona seen as a key track to assess true car performance.
- The Time recognition places Antonelli alongside names such as LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo and links him to Schumacher and Senna for an early pole record, but coverage stresses the 2026 season remains ongoing and the title is not decided.