Kimi Antonelli secured the Formula One drivers’ title on Sunday with a third-place finish at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico. The twenty-year-old Italian claimed his maiden championship in only his second season in the sport, with four rounds remaining on the calendar.
Antonelli broke Sebastian Vettel’s long-standing record as the youngest world champion in Formula One history. He also became the first Italian driver to win the drivers’ title since Alberto Ascari achieved the feat in 1953.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the seventy-one-lap grand prix, crossing the finish line 0.799 seconds ahead of Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli completed the podium for Mercedes, finishing 4.006 seconds behind the race winner.
Entering the grand prix with a commanding lead in the standings, the young Mercedes driver needed only a ninth-place finish to seal the title regardless of his competitors’ results. He started the race from fourth position on the grid and maintained his place through a chaotic opening lap.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc took the lead on the first lap following an off-track battle with teammate Hamilton. Antonelli later assumed the lead briefly as the frontrunners cycled through their pit stops, extending his opening stint until lap forty-four before switching from soft to medium tyres.
The Mercedes driver rejoined the track in fourth position. A subsequent crash involving Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas brought out the safety car and triggered a red flag.
Racing resumed on lap forty-seven as Hamilton overtook Leclerc, while Antonelli defended his position against Lando Norris. On lap forty-eight, Antonelli executed a key manoeuvre on Leclerc at Turn One to claim third place.
A second safety car period was deployed on lap fifty-nine following a crash involving Arvid Lindblad. Antonelli managed his pace through the restart and controlled the closing laps while Verstappen and Hamilton battled ahead.
"We did it! And I wouldn’t be here without Mercedes and without my family. I’m speechless, I’m trying to process what’s just happened," Antonelli said after the race.
"It’s been an incredible season, and to share this podium with Max and Lewis is incredible. I look forward to more battles in the future. This weekend, I did feel a little more tense. I’m just so happy I got it done," he added.
Charles Leclerc finished fourth behind Antonelli, followed by Lando Norris, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson, and Pierre Gasly in the points-scoring positions.
