MEXICO CITY — Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli captured his first Formula One world championship on Sunday, crossing the line in third place at the Mexico City Grand Prix to become the youngest title winner in the sport’s history.
At 20 years and 68 days old, the Italian eclipsed the record previously established by Sebastian Vettel, who claimed his first crown with Red Bull in 2010 at age 23 years and 134 days. Antonelli also became the first Italian driver to claim the championship since Alberto Ascari achieved the feat in 1953, ending a 73-year drought for the nation.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the checkered flag to win the incident-filled race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished in second place. Reports differed on Verstappen’s recent tally, with Al Jazeera noting the result was his second victory of the campaign while the BBC described it as his third triumph across the last four events.
Emotions Overflow on the Track
Antonelli needed only a ninth-place finish to put the drivers’ crown out of reach. Driving in only his second season in Formula One after succeeding Hamilton at Mercedes, he held an unassailable 119-point cushion at the conclusion of the race, Al Jazeera reported.
Weeping over the team radio on the cooldown lap, Antonelli struggled to speak as race engineer Peter Bonnington celebrated the triumph with him. Antonelli later explained that tears blurred his vision as the race drew to a close. “On the last lap, I just backed off because I just couldn’t see the track. I was getting emotional,” Antonelli said during a post-race news conference, according to Al Jazeera. “So it was just good to bring it home.”
Antonelli celebrated in the paddock alongside his parents, Marco and Veronica, and his younger sister, Maggie. “We did it,” Antonelli said in comments distributed by Formula1.com. “And, you know, without them, I wouldn’t be here. Without Mercedes, without my family. So I’m very grateful for this moment, and it’s one that will live forever.”
Red Flags and Ferrari Infighting
The afternoon featured frequent drama, beginning at the first corner when Hamilton, starting from pole position, was challenged by Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. Leclerc ran across the grass at turn four and briefly seized the lead, an aggressive maneuver that prompted an annoyed radio response from Hamilton, who stated he had been forced wide by his partner. Stewards assessed Leclerc a five-second time penalty, according to the BBC.
The grand prix was halted on lap 46 after Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas suffered a high-speed suspension breakdown down the main straight, slamming heavily into the turn one barriers. Bottas walked unassisted to an ambulance, checked into the medical facility and was cleared, Al Jazeera reported. Barrier repairs delayed the race for 33 minutes before the remaining 25 laps resumed.
Antonelli capitalized after the restart by passing Leclerc, who flat-spotted a tire, and stayed glued behind the leaders following another brief safety car caused by a collision between Oscar Piastri and Arvid Lindblad.
Looking Ahead to Brazil
Leclerc took fourth place, outgoing 2025 champion Lando Norris finished fifth, and Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell placed sixth after serving a 10-second penalty for a first-lap collision with Isack Hadjar.
Mercedes now sits on 630 points in the constructors’ championship, holding a substantial lead over Ferrari, which stands at 504 points. The Silver Arrows can secure the constructors’ title next weekend when the series travels to Interlagos for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil.
