A corona igniter, comprising: an electrode extending along a central axis for emitting an electrical field that forms a corona discharge; said electrode including a central extended member (22; 322; 522; 1022) extending longitudinally along said central axis to a central firing end (46; 1046); an insulator formed of an electrically insulating material disposed around said electrode and extending along said central axis to an insulator firing end; a shell formed of a metal material disposed around said insulator; said electrode including a crown (34; 334; 1034) disposed outwardly of said insulator firing end; said crown including at least one branch extending radially outwardly of said central extended member (22; 322; 522; 1022); said crown extending along said central axis from a top surface to at least one firing tip; said crown presenting a crown length (l c) between said top surface (40; 1040) and said at least one firing tip, said crown length (l c) being parallel to said central axis; said central extended member (22; 322; 522; 1022) presenting an extended length (l e) extending from said top surface of said crown (34; 334; 1034) to said central firing end (46; 1046), said extended length (l e) being parallel to said central axis; and said extended length (l e) being greater than said crown length (l c), and said crown (34; 334; 1034) presenting at least one first spherical radius (r 1) at each of said firing tips, the corona igniter being characterized in that said central extended member presents at least one second spherical radius (r 2) at said central firing end (46; 1046), and each of said first spherical radii (r 1) are smaller than each of said second spherical radii (r 2). an electrode extending along a central axis for emitting an electrical field that forms a corona discharge; said electrode including a central extended member (22; 322; 522; 1022) extending longitudinally along said central axis to a central firing end (46; 1046); an insulator formed of an electrically insulating material disposed around said electrode and extending along said central axis to an insulator firing end; a shell formed of a metal material disposed around said insulator; said electrode including a crown (34; 334; 1034) disposed outwardly of said insulator firing end; said crown including at least one branch extending radially outwardly of said central extended member (22; 322; 522; 1022); said crown extending along said central axis from a top surface to at least one firing tip; said crown presenting a crown length (l c) between said top surface (40; 1040) and said at least one firing tip, said crown length (l c) being parallel to said central axis; said central extended member (22; 322; 522; 1022) presenting an extended length (l e) extending from said top surface of said crown (34; 334; 1034) to said central firing end (46; 1046), said extended length (l e) being parallel to said central axis; and said extended length (l e) being greater than said crown length (l c), and said crown (34; 334; 1034) presenting at least one first spherical radius (r 1) at each of said firing tips, the corona igniter being characterized in that said central extended member presents at least one second spherical radius (r 2) at said central firing end (46; 1046), and each of said first spherical radii (r 1) are smaller than each of said second spherical radii (r 2).