Kimi Antonelli clinches Formula One championship with podium finish in Mexico City
The 20-year-old Italian driver secured the world title after finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix, extending his lead to 119 points.
Kimi Antonelli became Formula One’s youngest world champion at 20 years and 68 days old after a third-place finish for Mercedes at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The race, held at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, was marked by a red-flag restart, two safety-car periods and multiple incidents, but Antonelli’s overall points lead grew to an unassailable 119 points.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the race, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who started from pole, finished second after a clash with teammate Charles Leclerc. George Russell, Antonelli’s teammate, ended the race in sixth place.
"Get in there, Kimi. Champion of the world," race engineer Peter Bonnington said over the team radio.
"We did it. Thank you so much," Antonelli said after crossing the finish line.
"I’m speechless. I’m trying to process what has just happened," he told the crowd later.
The previous youngest champion was Sebastian Vettel, who won his first title at 23 years and 134 days in 2010. Antonelli’s victory also ends a 73-year gap since the last Italian champion, Alberto Ascari.
In the drivers’ standings, Verstappen moved to second place, Hamilton to third, and Russell fell to fourth, 130 points behind Antonelli. Mercedes leads the constructors’ championship with 630 points, ahead of Ferrari’s 504, and could secure the title in Brazil.
The race was briefly halted on lap 46 after Valtteri Bottas suffered a front-left suspension failure, causing his car to strike the barriers. Bottas received medical attention but was released after a brief check.
Leclerc received a five-second penalty for a collision with Hamilton, while Russell was given a ten-second penalty after a poor start and a subsequent incident with another driver.