Kimi Antonelli makes F1 history as youngest champion at just 20
The Italian driver secured the 2026 title with four races still remaining in the season. His achievement has placed him among the biggest names in motorsport.
The young Mercedes driver finished behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the Mexico City Grand Prix. However, the result gave him an unbeatable lead in the championship standings.
After crossing the finish line, the emotional driver held his steering wheel and said, “We did it, we did it.”
The Kimi Antonelli victory was especially meaningful because his family was present to witness the historic moment.
“I’m still trying to realize and understand what just happened, when you work so hard and then you finally achieve it is truly special,” he said.
Antonelli breaks a 16-year-old record
At just 20 years and 68 days old, Kimi Antonelli has broken the record previously held by Sebastian Vettel. Vettel became the youngest champion at the age of 23 in 2010.
The Formula 1 2026 championship also marks a major achievement for Italy. Antonelli is the country’s first world champion since Alberto Ascari won the title in 1953.
The Mercedes driver secured a comfortable lead over teammate George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
His journey to the title was not easy. He became ill after winning the United States Grand Prix and also faced mental pressure as the championship came closer.
The Mexico City Grand Prix became the moment when all his hard work finally paid off.
Antonelli also joked that he lost around two seconds on the final lap because he was emotional and could not see the track properly.
Verstappen takes another Mexico victory
While Mercedes celebrated its new champion, Max Verstappen secured another impressive victory.
The Red Bull driver finished first, followed by Hamilton and Antonelli. Verstappen claimed his sixth win at the Mexico City Grand Prix, continuing his strong record at the circuit.
“The ‘Max-ico’ Grand Prix will be a great name to call it,” Verstappen joked.
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali praised the young champion, saying a new chapter in the sport’s history had been written.
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Crash brings the race to a stop
The race was interrupted on lap 46 after Valtteri Bottas crashed into a wall at the first corner following problems with his right-side suspension.
The incident brought out a red flag and stopped the race. Cadillac said Bottas received “further medical assessments as a precaution.”
He managed to leave the car without assistance and waved to fans before going for medical checks.
After the restart, Verstappen maintained his lead and secured the win.
Hamilton and Leclerc face Ferrari tension
The race also saw tension between Ferrari teammates Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton had started from pole position but lost the lead during an early battle with Leclerc. The incident resulted in a five-second penalty for Leclerc.
Hamilton was unhappy with the decision and believed his teammate should have returned the position.
He said the situation had cost Ferrari valuable points and suggested that changes were needed within the team.
