Antonelli secures podium in Singapore, eyes title chance in Austin
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli finished third at the Singapore Grand Prix, keeping his championship lead alive and opening a possible title-deciding opportunity at the upcoming United States Grand Prix.
Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Kimi Antonelli finished third at the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix, adding another podium to his season tally. Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull Racing, with Charles Leclerc completing the podium for Ferrari. Antonelli’s result came after he navigated a battle between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, despite earlier braking concerns on the grid.
In post-race comments, former world champion Jenson Button told the 19-year-old that he could mathematically clinch the World Drivers’ Championship at the next round in Austin, Texas. Antonelli expressed surprise at the prospect, saying he would focus on delivering a clean race at the Circuit of the Americas.
"Yeah, I mean, it was a very tough race out there, but really happy with the podium at the end," Antonelli said. "Can I? Really?" he added when asked about the title chance, before concluding, "Let's try to do the best weekend as possible and finish the job."
The result keeps Antonelli at the top of the standings heading into the United States Grand Prix, where a strong performance could secure the championship.