Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver, aged 20, became the youngest champion in the sport’s history. His race engineer, Peter Bonnington, celebrated his eighth career world title. Lewis Hamilton, Antonelli’s predecessor at Mercedes, was also present on the podium.
The Mexico City Grand Prix, held on November 1, 2026, saw Max Verstappen claim victory for Red Bull. Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, finished second, 0.799 seconds behind Verstappen. Antonelli completed the podium in third place, 4.006 seconds adrift of the race winner.
Antonelli’s championship win was achieved with four rounds remaining in the 2026 season. His third-place finish at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was sufficient to clinch the title. This achievement ended Italy’s 73-year wait for a Formula 1 world champion, a drought that dated back to Alberto Ascari’s second title in 1953.
Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, a veteran F1 engineer, added another championship to his record. He previously guided Jenson Button to his maiden world title with Brawn GP in 2009. Bonnington then engineered Lewis Hamilton to six of his seven world championships during their 12-year tenure at Mercedes.
For the 2026 season, Bonnington serves as Antonelli’s senior race engineer at Mercedes. He also holds the position of Head of Trackside Performance for the team. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has acknowledged Bonnington’s mentorship as a significant factor in Antonelli’s rapid success.
Following the race, Hamilton was seen congratulating Bonnington with an embrace. Hamilton expressed that witnessing Antonelli’s championship victory and celebrating on the podium alongside him was a highlight of his season. He also noted the significance of sharing the podium with both Verstappen and Antonelli.
Hamilton, who departed Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of the 2024 season, reflected on Antonelli taking over his former role. He mentioned leaving a note for Antonelli when the young driver moved into his room at the Mercedes factory.
Antonelli, who debuted in Formula 1 in 2025, is contracted with Mercedes until at least the end of the 2027 season. His contract for 2026 was secured via an extension option. He became the third-youngest driver in F1 history upon his debut.
Bonnington admitted that he did not anticipate Antonelli reaching championship status so early in his career. He described Antonelli as a ‘diamond in the rough’ when their partnership began.
“I loved every year that I worked with Lewis, even the tough times. I’m still super, super proud of it. The moments that I shared with him. He’s one of the loveliest human beings on this planet.”
Antonelli plans to frame the photograph of himself being held aloft on the shoulders of Verstappen and Hamilton on the Mexico City podium. He described the moment as ‘incredible’ and a testament to the respect shown by two established champions.
