Kimi Antonelli clinches 2026 title, becomes youngest champion in F1 history - USA Today

Formula 1 has crowned a new king as history was made in Mexico City.

Kimi Antonelli won his first Formula 1 championship to become the youngest champion in the motor sports series' history.

The 20-year-old driver finished third at the Mexico City Grand Prix, Sunday, Nov. 1 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Antonelli, who races for Mercedes, was in fourth position on the starting grid and was battling illness and exhaustion leading up to the race. He needed to finish ninth or higher to clinch the title outright.

Antonelli surpassed Sebastian Vettel, who won his first title in 2010 at the age of 23 with Red Bull Racing, to take the record for youngest driver to win the championship. He joins Lewis Hamilton, Jacques Villeneuve and Juan Manuel Fangio as only the fourth driver in F1 history to win the title in his second season.

Antonelli is also the first Italian to win a championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953. He was sobbing into his team radio after he crossed the checkered flag.

"Thank you so much," he said choking up. "We did it."

Antonelli joined the Mercedes development program as an 11-year-old karting driver and, along with teammate George Russell, has brought the outfit on the verge of its ninth constructors championship. This season brought extra challenges as F1 initiated new regulations.

"It's just 'mind-blowing' I think is the word," Antonelli's engineer, Peter Bonnington, said on the Apple TV broadcast after the race. "It's just been such an amazing journey with him. He's really matured over this year and wow, he's just grown into the world champion."

Max Verstappen was the race winner and extends his lead for most wins at the Mexico competition with six victories.

Hamilton finished second after notching his 105th pole position in qualifying, extending his record for most in the series. It was his first pole position with Ferrari in his second season with the Scuderia.

There was a total of 12 championships represented on the podium. With Antonelli's first, Verstappen has won four and Hamilton is tied for the record with seven titles.

After stopping in parc fermé, Hamilton hopped out of his car and gave Antonelli a big hug. Verstappen went to shake the hand of Antonelli's father, Marco, and then gave the new champion a hug as well. Antonelli went down the line and embraced his father, mother and younger sister warmly.

"I wouldn't be here without Mercedes, without my family," Antonelli said in the post-race interview with 2016 champion Nico Rosberg. "So I'm very grateful for this moment and it's one that will live forever and I just, I'm speechless."

After the trophy presentation, Antonelli was handed an Italian flag on the podium and Hamilton and Verstappen lifted him onto their shoulders. The veterans then left and Antonelli's Mercedes W17 racecar was lifted onto the stage. He leaned down and kissed it before holding up the flag behind his back.

"It's incredible, of course, what a season he had," Verstappen said. "And to do that also at such an age I think is really, really impressive."

"A huge congratulations to Kimi and the Mercedes team," Hamilton said, saluting his former team that he won six titles with. "It's great to see them all up here celebrating their success. Youngest world champion ever is pretty phenomenal and I'm so grateful to be in the race to witness it."

Vettel also applauded the new champion. Formula 1 shared a heartfelt video message that he recorded offering words in both English and Italian.

"Great achievements might change the way people look at you," he said, "but you don't have to change the way you look at people. Now go on and enjoy it!"

In the race, Hamilton battled with teammate Charles Leclerc early and the Monegasque driver drove across the entire first corner on the first lap to take the lead. He was given a five-second penalty and Hamilton was furious. Leclerc finished fourth.

"Ultimately, it was that that lost us the win today," Hamilton said after the race, "and I think we have to have some serious talks behind the scenes for sure."

The red flag came out on lap 45 after Valtteri Bottas' suspension broke on his front left wheel and he crashed into the wall. The race stopped while officials repaired the barrier.

Russell, the third and final driver that was in contention for the title, finished sixth.

Sergio "Checo" Pérez crossed the checkered flag in 17th place in his home race. The Guadalajara-born driver was participating in his 300th F1 grand prix.

Heading into the Mexico City Grand Prix, AntonelliAntonelli surpassed Sebastian Vettel, who won his first title in 2010 at the age of 23 with Red Bull Racing, to take the record for youngest driver to win the championship. He joins Hamilton, Jacques Villeneuve and Juan Manuel Fangio as only the fourth driver in F1 history to win the title in his second season. had 365 points and had won nine races this year, including five consecutive victories toward the start of the season.

In 2024, Mercedes shocked the motorsports world when they announced that Antonelli would replace Hamilton as he was headed to Ferrari. Antonelli made his debut last year at only 18 years old and has also made history as the youngest driver to lead the championship, to start a race on pole position and to win the esteemed Monaco Grand Prix.

Kimi Antonelli clinched his first Formula 1 title by finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix in 2026. He needed to finish ninth or higher to claim the championship outright with four races left on the calendar.

Leading up to the race, he had 365 points and had won nine races this year, including five consecutive victories toward the start of the season.

At 20 years old, Antonelli is the youngest F1 champion in the motorsport series' history.

Kimi Antonelli is the youngest driver to win an F1 championship when he did so in the 2026 season at the age of 20 years old. Racing for Mercedes, he captured the title by finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix with four races left on the calendar.

The Italian driver beat out Sebastian Vettel, who won his first title in 2010 at the age of 23 with Red Bull Racing, to take the record for youngest driver to win the championship.

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