Image Credit: Formula1 | Antonelli F1 title
Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s youngest world champion at 20 years and 68 days after finishing third for Mercedes at Sunday’s Mexico City Grand Prix. The Antonelli F1 title win secured the 2026 championship with four rounds remaining, as Max Verstappen won the race ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
At 20 years and 68 days, Antonelli became Formula 1’s youngest world champion, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s record from 2010. He also became Italy’s first drivers’ champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, ending a 73-year wait.
McLaren’s Lando Norris delivered one of the strongest assessments of the new champion, saying Antonelli had “made everyone else look silly” during a campaign that brought the championship in only his second Formula 1 season.
Antonelli F1 title secured in disrupted Mexico race
Antonelli arrived at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez needing ninth place to secure the championship regardless of where Hamilton or Mercedes teammate George Russell finished. Starting fourth, he completed the afternoon on the podium despite two major interruptions. A heavy accident involving Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas brought out the red flag. Antonelli subsequently restarted fourth, behind Verstappen and the two Ferraris, leaving him within the championship-winning positions but outside the podium places. Hamilton passed Charles Leclerc after the restart and challenged Verstappen at the first corner. Antonelli then overtook Leclerc into Turn 1 on the following lap as the Ferrari driver struggled with vibrations from a flat-spotted tire.
A later collision involving Oscar Piastri and Arvid Lindblad triggered another Safety Car period. Verstappen retained the lead when racing resumed, while Antonelli stayed behind Hamilton and completed the remaining laps without surrendering third.
The Mexico City GP results showed Verstappen finishing 0.799 seconds ahead of Hamilton, with Antonelli 4.006 seconds behind the winner. Leclerc took fourth, Norris fifth and Russell sixth. Piastri recovered to seventh.
The race victory belonged to Verstappen. The championship belonged to Antonelli, whose finishing position comfortably exceeded the requirement he faced at the start of the weekend.
Norris, Verstappen, and Hamilton salute new champion
The F1 grid reaction centered on Antonelli’s consistency and his understanding of the Mercedes and the speed of his development since entering the championship.
Norris praised the Italian’s ability to extract performance from his car and maintain that level throughout the season. He also acknowledged the significance of achieving it at 20 and expressed his willingness to hand over the champion’s number one.
Verstappen highlighted the difficulty of winning in a second season, particularly alongside an experienced teammate. He pointed to Antonelli’s limited major mistakes and sustained performance as reasons the championship was deserved. Hamilton, who shared the podium with Antonelli and Verstappen, described being present for the Italian’s first championship as a particularly meaningful Mexico moment. Their congratulations placed three generations of championship-winning drivers together after the race. The responses followed a result in which Antonelli did not need to challenge for victory. His third place completed the championship task while Verstappen and Hamilton contested the lead ahead.
Mercedes celebrates milestone as team contest continues
For Mercedes, the Antonelli F1 title marked the first drivers’ championship won by a graduate of its junior program. Sunday’s result also delivered his 17th podium finish of the season. Team principal Toto Wolff praised Antonelli’s development after a difficult debut year and recalled questions about whether he was ready for a Mercedes seat. He said the team’s confidence in the driver had remained intact.
Antonelli credited Mercedes, his family, and those who supported his career. He acknowledged feeling additional tension before the weekend and relief after completing the championship. Russell also congratulated his teammate on a deserved success.
The historical significance extended beyond Mercedes. Antonelli joined Ascari and inaugural champion Giuseppe Farina as Italy’s only Formula 1 drivers’ champions, restoring an Italian name to the championship after more than seven decades.
The drivers’ contest is settled, but Mercedes still has a constructors’ championship to pursue. Antonelli and Russell both identified that objective as the remaining priority as the season moves beyond Mexico.
This content was adapted from an article in the Formula1