Late on Sunday evening, while half of Italy was watching the Mexico City Grand Prix through their fingers, Kimi Antonelli sealed the Formula 1 world title. Twenty years old. Mercedes. The first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. By Monday afternoon, a tiny terracotta Kimi was already on display in Naples.
If you’ve never walked through the old town in the weeks before Christmas, that probably sounds a bit absurd. If you have, you saw it coming.
Who made the Kimi Antonelli nativity figurine in Naples?
The figurine comes from Genny Di Virgilio. He’s one of the best-known pastorai (nativity figure makers) on Via San Gregorio Armeno, the narrow lane between Spaccanapoli and Via dei Tribunali that everyone calls the street of the nativity scenes. His family has run the workshop since 1830, and he’s the fourth generation.
My favourite detail? The statuette had been finished for days. Di Virgilio told ANSA he kept it hidden anyway, out of superstition, and only put it out once the title was official. In Naples you don’t jinx a championship. Not even from behind a shop counter.
Now he’s hoping Antonelli drops by in person. A little statuette is waiting for him, which Di Virgilio calls “our terracotta Oscar.” The Kimi Antonelli handmade terracotta figurine with a height of 17cm is currently available to purchase online here: divirgilioart.com/products/kimi-antonelli
Why Naples puts footballers, popes and racing drivers in the crib
A Neapolitan presepe has never been only about the stable. Next to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds you’ll find pizza makers, fishmongers, sleepy Benino and, every year, whoever made the headlines. The crib is still the heart of Christmas in Italy, but Naples gives it a cheeky twist.
Maradona is practically a permanent resident. Di Virgilio even made a version of him with angel wings after his death in 2020. Jannik Sinner has been one of the most requested figures lately. When Pope Leo XIV was elected in May 2025, his figurine was on the counter the very next day. Di Virgilio has said he works on these at night, so the “news” is ready by morning.
So Kimi isn’t just joining a crib. He’s joining a club.
How to see the figurines on San Gregorio Armeno
Timing is everything
The workshops are open all year. From November until Epiphany, though, the street fills with extra stalls and lights. Go on a weekday morning if you can. December weekends get so packed that people shuffle along in one slow line, so keep your phone close. My guide to pickpockets in Italy has a few tricks for crowded markets.
Buying a figure
There’s no official price list. Prices depend on size, materials and detail, so ask before you fall in love. A small celebrity figure makes a fun souvenir. A hand-dressed 18th-century-style shepherd is a different budget entirely.
The museum version
For the old masters, ride a funicular up to the Vomero hill and walk to the Certosa e Museo di San Martino, home of the Presepe Cuciniello. It has around 800 figures and lighting that shifts from dawn to night. The museum is closed on Tuesdays (current opening hours).
Afterwards you’ll be hungry. San Gregorio is a short walk from some serious street food, and fried pizza at 1947 is the obvious move. Need a base nearby? Here’s my review of the Mercure Napoli Centro Angioino.
Pole position, Neapolitan style
If you’re in Naples this winter, go and say ciao to tiny Kimi. Just don’t expect him to have the shelf to himself.
Featured image via: https://divirgilioart.com/products/kimi-antonelli
Kimi Antonelli Nativity Figurine in Naples: Your Questions Answered
Where can I see the Kimi Antonelli nativity figurine in Naples?
At Genny Di Virgilio’s workshop on Via San Gregorio Armeno, in Naples’ historic centre. It went on display on 2 November 2026, a day after Antonelli clinched the F1 title at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The street is short and pedestrian-only, between Spaccanapoli and Via dei Tribunali. Popular figures can sell out fast, so ask in the shop.
Why do Naples nativity makers create celebrity figurines?
Because the Neapolitan presepe has always mixed the sacred with everyday life. Alongside the Holy Family you’ll find street vendors, tavern keepers and, more recently, footballers, popes, politicians and singers. Maradona remains the most iconic, and new faces turn up within hours of big news.
Is San Gregorio Armeno open all year?
Yes. The workshops sell nativity figures year-round. The street is busiest from November until Epiphany on 6 January, when extra stalls and decorations go up.
Who is Kimi Antonelli?
Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the Italian Mercedes driver from Bologna who won the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship at 20. That makes him the youngest champion in F1 history and the first Italian title winner since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
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