Unlike established drivers who stream their setups (Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris), 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli has not publicly disclosed his personal sim racing equipment. Mercedes confirmed installing a home simulator in October 2024, but specific brands and models remain undisclosed. This profile documents what IS verified and transparently acknowledges what remains unknown.
✅ What We Know For Certain
🏠 Home Simulator (Mercedes-Installed)
🏭 Mercedes Brackley Professional Simulator
🏁 Prema Racing Professional Simulator
"Mercedes is going to send me a steering wheel and a small simulator at home to learn how to do the race starts, so I will be able to practice. The steering wheel is the Formula 1 steering wheel, so it will help me memorise the buttons as well."— Kimi Antonelli, Autosport Interview (October 2024)
Released May 5, 2025, Netflix's documentary shows Antonelli's simulator sessions at Mercedes Brackley. However, it contains no detailed hardware breakdowns of personal equipment — only professional team simulator footage.
📋 Equipment Verification Status
| Component | Brand / Model | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | Unknown | Undisclosed | Mercedes declined to specify |
| Steering Wheel | Unknown | Undisclosed | F1 replica confirmed; consumer model unknown |
| Pedals | Unknown | Undisclosed | No information available |
| Cockpit Frame | Unknown | Undisclosed | Mercedes ecosystem likely (Sim-Lab?) |
| Seat | Unknown | Undisclosed | No information available |
| Display | Unknown | Undisclosed | VR or monitors unconfirmed |
| Motion Platform | No evidence | Unknown | No mention in any source |
| PC Specs | Unknown | Undisclosed | Platform confirmed as PC |
| Audio/Headset | Unknown | Undisclosed | No information available |
Note: This is not a research limitation — Kimi and Mercedes have deliberately chosen not to disclose equipment specifications.
🖥️ Access to Multiple Simulators
| Simulator | Location | Equipment Grade | Usage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Simulator | Italy | Consumer (Mercedes-provided) | Race starts, button memorization | Verified |
| Mercedes Brackley DiL | UK | Professional F1-spec, LIDAR tracks | Circuit learning, race prep | Verified |
| Prema Racing Dynisma | Italy | Professional motion platform | F2 preparation (2024) | Verified |
🎮 Confirmed Sim Racing Platforms
✅ iRacing
Verified Active
Maintains verified accounts with high activity. Confirmed categories: Formula 3, GT3, Super Formula Lights. Long-term member (pre-F1).
✅ F1 25 (EA Sports)
Verified Active
Regular gameplay with content creators. 6+ documented videos March–November 2025. PC and PS5 platforms confirmed.
⚠️ Assetto Corsa
Likely but unconfirmed
Imola lap video exists, but equipment in video appears to be content creator's rig.
❓ rFactor 2 / ACC / GT7
Not confirmed
No documented evidence of personal use. Mercedes pro sim uses rFpro.
"I will say with Kimi Antonelli, he does need to improve on his wheel-to-wheel [racing] though because he couldn't overtake me in iRacing in a Super Formula Lights."— Scott Tuffey (sim racer), Missed Apex Podcast (2024)
Unlike Max Verstappen (Team Redline) or Lando Norris (Quadrant/Veloce), Antonelli has no documented esports team affiliation. No participation evidence for Virtual Le Mans, iRacing special events (Daytona 24, Spa 24), or F1 Esports. His sim racing appears purely recreational and training-focused.
📈 Timeline
Prema Receives Dynisma Simulator
Prema Racing installs Dynisma professional motion simulator. Antonelli uses for F2 championship preparation.
iRacing History Confirmed
Reddit r/iRacing community discussion confirms Kimi's long-term iRacing membership prior to F1 announcement. Scott Tuffey discusses racing him on Missed Apex Podcast.
Sim-Lab Mercedes Wheel Released
Sim-Lab releases official Mercedes F1 wheel (€2,699) with "Antonelli rear button guard" customization option. Does NOT confirm personal ownership.
Mercedes Home Simulator Announced
Autosport interview: Antonelli confirms Mercedes will send "a steering wheel and a small simulator" for race start practice and button memorization.
Brackley Simulator Work Confirmed
Official Mercedes interview confirms Kimi's regular visits to Brackley for simulator work, circuit learning, and steering wheel procedures.
F1 Debut + F1 25 Content
Kimi debuts in F1 at Australian GP. First F1 25 gameplay videos with MalDrift appear on YouTube.
Netflix "The Seat" Documentary
Netflix releases behind-the-scenes documentary showing simulator sessions at Mercedes Brackley. No personal hardware details revealed.
Continued iRacing Activity
Multiple documented iRacing sessions with content creators (JackZER, others). Nürburgring 6:08.337 lap recorded. TheSimbase confirms high activity in F3/GT3.
Mercedes Simulator Failures
The Race and Crash.net report Mercedes simulator failures affected Antonelli's Zandvoort/Monza race preparation — highlighting his reliance on professional sim infrastructure.
📱 Social Media & Streaming Presence
| Platform | Handle | Followers | Sim Racing Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| @kimi.antonelli ✓ | 4M | None posted | |
| TikTok | @kimi.antonelli | 534K | None posted |
| Twitter/X | None | — | Fake accounts exist (confirmed via Community Notes) |
| YouTube | None | — | N/A |
| Twitch | None | — | N/A |
The absence of streaming platforms directly explains the hardware documentation gap. Drivers like Verstappen, Leclerc, and Norris who stream regularly have extensively photographed and discussed setups. Antonelli, focused entirely on his F1 career at age 18, has no public sim racing content presence.
🏢 Mercedes Ecosystem Context
While Antonelli's personal equipment remains unconfirmed, Mercedes maintains several sim racing partnerships that provide context for likely equipment — but none confirm personal use:
| Partner | Relationship | Products | Antonelli Confirmed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heusinkveld | Official Team Supplier (Esports) | Sim Pedals Ultimate | No |
| Sim-Lab | Official Licensed Products | Mercedes F1 Cockpit (€2,699), Wheel | No |
| Cube Controls | Technical Partnership (since 2022) | GT-series wheels | No |
Traxion.gg noted that "Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have all used this wheel" when reviewing the Sim-Lab Mercedes product. However, this refers to the actual F1 wheel design the Sim-Lab product replicates — not confirmation that Antonelli owns the consumer version. Mercedes Esports team members (Jarno Opmeer, Dani Moreno, Bono Huis) use Heusinkveld pedals, but this doesn't confirm Antonelli does.
❓ Why Is Kimi's Setup Undisclosed?
1. Different Profile Than Sim Racing Personalities
Kimi Antonelli is a professional F1 driver, not a sim racing content creator. Unlike Max Verstappen (Team Redline, streams regularly) or Lando Norris (Quadrant, streams occasionally), Kimi has no financial incentive to publicly detail or sponsor sim hardware.
2. No Sponsorship Deals Announced
Kimi has not signed publicly announced endorsement partnerships with sim hardware brands (Fanatec, Heusinkveld, Moza, etc.). Without brand deals, there's no disclosure obligation or marketing benefit.
3. Mercedes Team Privacy
Mercedes may deliberately keep home simulator specifications private for competitive reasons. Setup details could be considered sensitive information during driver development.
4. Zero Streaming/Content Presence
Kimi has no Twitch, no YouTube channel, and posts zero sim racing content on Instagram or TikTok. Drivers who stream (Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris) naturally showcase their equipment. Without streaming, there's no organic disclosure opportunity — explaining why his setup remains undocumented.
5. Age & Career Focus
At 18 years old and in his rookie F1 season, Kimi's focus is entirely on real-world racing performance. Content creation and equipment branding are not priorities.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What sim racing setup does Kimi Antonelli use?
Does Kimi Antonelli stream sim racing?
Does Kimi use the Sim-Lab Mercedes F1 wheel?
What games does Kimi Antonelli play?
Why doesn't this profile list specific equipment?
📚 Sources & Verification
Primary Sources (Tier 1)
- Autosport Interview (Oct 2024) — Direct Antonelli quote on Mercedes home simulator provision
- Mercedes-AMG F1 Official (Nov 10, 2024) — Kimi's direct quote on Brackley simulator work
- Netflix "The Seat" Documentary (May 5, 2025) — Behind-the-scenes simulator footage at Mercedes
- @kimi.antonelli Instagram — Official verified account (4M followers)
Secondary Sources (Tier 2)
- F1 Oversteer (Oct 12, 2024) — Mercedes home simulator installation announcement
- F1technical.net (May 2024, Oct 2024) — Prema Dynisma simulator, home setup coverage
- TheSimbase.com (Apr 2025) — iRacing activity confirmation, F3/GT3 categories
- The Race (Sep 2025) — Mercedes simulator failures reporting
- Motorsport.com — Home simulator coverage
- Crash.net (Sep 2025) — Simulator failure reporting
Tertiary Sources (Tier 3)
- Missed Apex Podcast (2024) — Scott Tuffey's account of racing Antonelli on iRacing
- JackZER YouTube (Jul 16, 2025) — iRacing Nürburgring session with Kimi
- MalDrift YouTube (Mar 19, 2025) — F1 25 gameplay collaboration
- Traxion.gg — Sim-Lab Mercedes wheel review mentioning Antonelli
- Sim-Lab Product Page (Oct 7, 2024) — Mercedes F1 wheel with Antonelli customization
- Reddit r/iRacing (Aug 30, 2024) — Community confirmation of iRacing history
- Heusinkveld.com — Mercedes Esports team partnership documentation