20-year-old Kimi Antonelli Wins Formula One World Championship

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli clinched the Formula One world championship on Sunday, finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The 20-year-old, in only his second season, broke Sebastian Vettel's record as the youngest champion.

Antonelli, who took the lead in the standings after the Japanese Grand Prix, entered the race needing only a ninth-place finish to secure the title. He improved on that requirement by finishing on the podium, marking his 15th podium of the season and the 36th world champion in the sport's history.

"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.

Team principal Toto Wolff highlighted the decision to promote Antonelli from the junior programme as a long-term investment that has now paid off. Wolff noted that the team had supported the driver’s development since he joined the programme at age 12.

Antonelli, born in Bologna in 2006, is the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953 and the first world champion born in the 21st century. His rise through karting, Formula Four, and Formula Regional categories led to a direct move to Formula Two in 2024 before his debut in Formula One.

The podium celebration featured Verstappen and Hamilton lifting Antonelli, underscoring a generational shift in the sport.