Antonelli leaves Toto Wolff speechless with Italian tricolour hairstyle

The 20-year-old arrived at Mercedes' headquarters in Brackley on Wednesday, 11 November, sporting green, white and red hair as the team gathered to celebrate its success in the 2026 season.

Mercedes shared footage of Antonelli's arrival on social media, showing the Italian greeting team members before revealing his new hairstyle to Wolff and Russell.

The Silver Arrows accompanied the video with the caption: "Kimi did it. He actually did it."

Antonelli had promised to dye his hair if he became Formula 1 world champion, although he initially considered two different colour combinations.

The Mercedes driver was torn between the Italian tricolour and the red and blue colours of his hometown football club, Bologna, before eventually choosing to represent his country.

Ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix, Antonelli had already suggested that he might wait until his visit to the Mercedes factory to reveal his new look.

"I've got the cans! Now I just have to decide whether to do it this weekend or maybe wait until next week when I go to the factory in Brackley and have to speak in front of all the employees," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "It would be fun to turn up there with dyed hair."

Antonelli ultimately followed through with that plan, catching Wolff by surprise when the Austrian first saw him. The Mercedes team principal stared at the Italian's hair for several seconds before jokingly questioning whether he had actually paid to have it dyed.

Russell was also amused by his teammate's appearance, with Antonelli suggesting that the Briton could follow his example by dyeing his hair in the colours of the Union Jack.

The exchange prompted laughter from those present, with the Mercedes employees also getting an opportunity to see Antonelli's unusual championship celebration.

Antonelli's visit to Brackley came shortly after Mercedes completed its first Formula 1 championship double since 2020. The Italian secured the drivers' championship at the Mexican Grand Prix, becoming the youngest world champion in the sport's history at the age of 20.

His triumph also ended Italy's long wait for another Formula 1 world champion, with Alberto Ascari previously the last Italian driver to claim the title in 1953. Mercedes subsequently secured the constructors' championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix, adding a ninth title to its collection and drawing level with Williams on the all-time list.

The celebrations at Brackley brought together drivers, engineers, mechanics and other members of the Mercedes workforce, with Antonelli addressing employees following the team's successful campaign.