Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver finished third in the race, which was sufficient to clinch his maiden title. This achievement makes Antonelli the youngest F1 world champion in history.
Antonelli, aged 20 years, two months, and seven days, surpassed Sebastian Vettel’s previous record by over three years. Vettel had held the record since 2010 at 23 years, four months, and 11 days old.
The Italian driver’s championship also ended a 73-year wait for Italy. He is the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. Antonelli joins Giuseppe Farina (1950) and Ascari (1952, 1953) as only the third Italian to claim the F1 title.
The 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, the 19th round of the season, was won by Max Verstappen for Red Bull. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, finished in second position. Antonelli’s third-place finish secured the championship with four races remaining.
Hamilton had taken pole position for the race with a lap time of 1:16.514, narrowly ahead of George Russell. Antonelli started the Grand Prix from fourth on the grid.
The race featured a red flag period following a significant accident involving Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac. Bottas experienced a front-left suspension failure at Turn 1.
After the restart, Antonelli executed a move on Charles Leclerc into Turn 1 to regain a podium position. He then maintained a controlled drive to the chequered flag.
Mercedes identified Antonelli as a talent early, signing him to their Junior Team in April 2019 at age 12. He had previously declined an offer from the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Antonelli made his Formula 1 debut with Mercedes in 2025, aged 18, replacing Lewis Hamilton. His rookie season included a maiden podium finish in Canada.
His initial F1 appearance in Free Practice 1 at Monza in 2024 resulted in a crash. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had described some of Antonelli’s 2025 performances as ‘underwhelming.’
Despite these early challenges, Mercedes maintained its belief in Antonelli. The team’s W17 car proved competitive under the 2026 technical regulations.
Antonelli secured nine Grand Prix victories during the 2026 season and achieved 17 podium finishes. He led the Drivers’ Championship for the majority of the year.
His first Grand Prix win came in China, where he also became the youngest-ever polesitter. He then became the youngest-ever championship leader after winning in Japan.
Mercedes is also on course to secure the 2026 Constructors’ Championship. The team holds a 126-point lead over Ferrari, with the title potentially being clinched at the upcoming São Paulo Grand Prix.
Antonelli acknowledged the significant support from his family, particularly his father Marco, a sportscar racing driver. His family made considerable sacrifices throughout his career.
“My family made an incredible effort to come just for today because my dad was busy with his rally racing team,” Antonelli stated. “He was Mugello, and then they flew Saturday morning and arrived last night.”
Antonelli expressed gratitude for Mercedes’ faith, stating they took a gamble on him at age 11. He anticipates further success with the team.
