Max Verstappen secured his sixth victory at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, winning the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver’s triumph came in an eventful race that also saw Kimi Antonelli clinch the Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship. Lewis Hamilton finished second for Ferrari, with Antonelli completing the podium for Mercedes.
Verstappen’s win marks his third of the current season. He started the race from fifth position on the grid, having incurred a one-place penalty for a collision with Liam Lawson during Friday practice.
The Dutchman crossed the finish line 0.799 seconds ahead of Hamilton. This victory extends Verstappen’s dominant record at the Mexican circuit, where he has now won six of the last nine Grands Prix.
Kimi Antonelli, aged 20 years, two months, and seven days, became the youngest Formula 1 World Champion in history. His third-place finish was sufficient to secure the title, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s previous record.
Antonelli, driving for Mercedes, needed only to finish ninth or higher to guarantee the championship. He is also the first Italian World Champion in 73 years, a feat last achieved by Alberto Ascari in 1953.
The race was interrupted by a red flag on lap 45 following a significant accident involving Valtteri Bottas. The Cadillac driver suffered a front-left suspension failure at Turn 1, sending his car into the TecPro barriers.
Bottas was able to exit his car unaided and was later released from the circuit’s medical centre after precautionary checks, confirming he was uninjured. The red flag period allowed for barrier repairs and a standing restart.
Another safety car period was deployed late in the race after Arvid Lindblad crashed following contact with Oscar Piastri. This incident further compressed the field in the closing stages.
Charles Leclerc received a five-second time penalty for cutting the track on the opening lap while battling teammate Lewis Hamilton for the lead. Hamilton expressed frustration, noting Leclerc benefited from clean air.
Stewards explained the penalty was reduced from the baseline ten seconds due to mitigating circumstances, as Hamilton also ran wide at Turn 4. Verstappen gained the lead when Leclerc served his penalty during a pit stop.
Hamilton had secured pole position for Ferrari, his first with the team and a record-extending 105th career pole. Ferrari demonstrated strong performance in slow-speed corners throughout the weekend.
Despite Ferrari’s pace, Hamilton found it challenging to maintain pressure on Verstappen in the final laps due to a perceived lack of straight-line speed. Ferrari’s team principal voiced concerns over the intra-team battle.
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, situated over 2,000 meters above sea level, presents unique challenges due to thinner air affecting downforce and cooling. Several teams introduced specific cooling upgrades for this event.
The circuit underwent partial resurfacing ahead of the 2026 Grand Prix. This, combined with increased support race activity, contributed to the 2026 cars being unusually competitive compared to their 2025 counterparts.
The strategic options for the 71-lap race were finely balanced between one and two stops. Pirelli’s simulations indicated a Medium to Soft one-stop strategy as the fastest under normal conditions.
The final classification for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix saw Max Verstappen first, followed by Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris. George Russell finished sixth, with Oscar Piastri seventh.
Franco Colapinto secured eighth, Liam Lawson finished ninth after starting from the pit lane, and Pierre Gasly completed the top ten.
Max Verstappen commented after his victory, “We can call it the Grand Prix of Maxico now.” He added, “I love racing here. I love the atmosphere, I love the fans. Sometimes your car just comes alive, and for me, it often falls into place here.”
