Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix, becoming the youngest champion in the sport’s history. The Mercedes driver, aged 20 years and 68 days, clinched his maiden title with a third-place finish at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. This achievement surpasses Sebastian Vettel’s previous record from 2010.
Antonelli expressed gratitude to Mercedes for their long-standing support. “Mercedes has believed in me for so many years and given me this incredible opportunity,” Antonelli stated in the team’s post-race release. “To repay that trust by winning the World Championship together means so much.”
The Mexican Grand Prix was won by Max Verstappen, with Lewis Hamilton finishing in second position. Antonelli, who qualified fourth, navigated a challenging race that included a red flag period.
Antonelli extended his opening stint on soft tyres beyond 40 laps, aiming to create strategic options. A red flag on lap 46, caused by Valtteri Bottas crashing due to a car failure, reset the field.
Following the restart, Antonelli recovered from fourth position by passing Charles Leclerc to secure third place, which he maintained to the finish. Leclerc ultimately finished fourth in the race.
Mercedes Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff highlighted Antonelli’s composure. “There were people who questioned whether he was ready for Formula One and whether he deserved to be in a Mercedes,” Wolff commented. “We always believed in his talent and knew those difficult experiences would make him stronger.”
Antonelli’s debut in Formula 1 occurred in 2025 with Mercedes, where he replaced Lewis Hamilton. Aged 18, he became the third-youngest driver in F1 history.
His rookie season included a fourth-place finish at the Australian Grand Prix and his first podium at the Canadian Grand Prix. Antonelli concluded 2025 with three podiums and 150 points.
During his 2025 campaign, Antonelli also became the youngest driver to achieve a pole position at the Miami sprint race. He also led an F1 race for the first time at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The 2026 season saw Antonelli secure nine race victories and seven pole positions. He took the lead in the Drivers’ Championship after the third round in Japan.
Notably, Antonelli won his home Grand Prix at Monza, starting from 19th position on the grid. This performance underscored his development and race craft.
Antonelli is the first Italian to win the Formula 1 World Championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953. Ascari secured two consecutive titles in 1952 and 1953 with Ferrari.
With the Drivers’ Championship now decided, Mercedes will focus on the Constructors’ Championship. The team currently leads the standings with 607 points.
Ferrari holds second place with 474 points, while McLaren and Red Bull Racing are tied for third with 355 points each. The battle for the Constructors’ title continues in Brazil.
George Russell, Antonelli’s teammate, finished sixth in Mexico and stated his full focus is now on securing the Constructors’ Championship for Mercedes.
“We still have races to go and we want to finish the season strongly by clinching the Constructors’ Championship, but tonight we’re definitely going to enjoy this moment together as a team,” Antonelli said.
