Kimi Antonelli dyes his hair green, white and red at Mercedes' Brackley base

Kimi Antonelli arrived at Mercedes' Brackley base on Wednesday 11 November with his hair dyed green, white and red, fulfilling a pledge he made after winning the Formula 1 world title. The moment, later shared on video by the team, drew stunned silence and teasing from team principal Toto Wolff and laughter from teammate George Russell.

A pledge made after the title

Antonelli, a 20-year-old from Bologna, clinched the drivers' title in Mexico City and became the youngest driver to win the championship. He had first made the bet at the start of the season with team members and fans, and he made the vow again in Mexico City with the tricolour draped around him and tears of joy running down his face. He weighed the Italian flag against the red and blue of his hometown club before choosing the tricolour. He had set out the plan in advance, saying:

“I could do it when I'm in Brackley to speak to all the employees, it would be fun to turn up like that.”

On Wednesday 11 November he did exactly that, meeting staff at the Brackley headquarters.

The reaction in Brackley

Antonelli walked in with his new colours, and employees gathered to compliment him and tease him in equal measure. Wolff stood stunned for several seconds before checking that the colours really were the Italian flag, then asked whether Antonelli had been paid to dye his hair. The video shows the team principal trying to make sense of the look before he began to joke. Russell laughed at the sight, and when Antonelli met him he suggested his teammate could take the Union Jack next. Russell gave a half-approving verdict, and Antonelli then walked through the building, shaking hands with staff who had come to see him.

The Mercedes post and the season finale

Mercedes posted the arrival on its social channels with a caption confirming that Antonelli had done what he promised:

“Kimi did it. He really did it.”

Antonelli himself called the look daring. Mercedes has now won both championships: Antonelli took the drivers' title in Mexico City, and the team secured the constructors' title at the Brazil weekend at Interlagos, where Antonelli and George Russell both contributed. Antonelli now has his eye on Lewis Hamilton's record of eleven wins in a single season, a total Hamilton reached four times during his years at Mercedes. Reaching it would require a near-perfect finish to the season, with the Las Vegas race next on the calendar. It is not yet clear whether the tricolour hair will stay for Las Vegas.