Italian Mercedes sensation becomes the youngest Formula One World Champion at 20, ending Italy’s 73-year wait for another drivers’ title as Verstappen takes victory in Mexico.
MEXICO CITY, 2 November 2026 – Kimi Antonelli has etched his name into Formula One history, becoming the youngest World Champion in the sport’s history after securing the third-place finish he needed at a dramatic Mexico City Grand Prix.
At just 20 years and 68 days old, the Mercedes driver achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the youngest driver ever to claim the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship. His triumph also marks Italy’s first drivers’ world title since Alberto Ascari achieved the feat with Ferrari in 1953.
Antonelli’s championship-clinching podium came in a chaotic race featuring two safety car interventions, multiple incidents and a red-flag stoppage following a heavy crash involving Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas.
Despite the pressure and unpredictable conditions, the young Italian delivered a composed performance to secure his 16th podium of the season and seal the championship.
The emotional moment came over the team radio as Antonelli crossed the finish line.
“Thank you so much, we did it,” he told his Mercedes team, visibly overwhelmed by the achievement.
His race engineer, Peter Bonnington, responded with a heartfelt message, describing the journey as a pleasure and reminding him that this was only the first chapter of his Formula One career.
Antonelli later reflected on the significance of the moment, thanking his family and Mercedes for their support throughout an extraordinary campaign.
“I’m so grateful for this moment – and it is one I will live forever. I’m speechless, just trying to process what has happened,” he said.
Verstappen wins as Hamilton completes podium battle
While Antonelli celebrated his championship triumph, Max Verstappen delivered another commanding performance to take victory for Red Bull.
The four-time world champion finished just 0.799 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who secured second place for Ferrari, with Antonelli crossing the line 3.207 seconds behind the winner.
Verstappen’s victory marked his sixth win in Mexico, extending his record at the circuit, while also adding another milestone to his already impressive career.
Starting fifth, Verstappen made an aggressive opening-lap charge to move into second position and remained firmly in contention throughout the race.
Hamilton, meanwhile, endured a frustrating afternoon despite starting from pole position. His race was complicated by an opening-lap battle with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, which triggered tension within the team.
Leclerc eventually finished fourth, while outgoing world champion Lando Norris brought his McLaren home in fifth.
Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell finished sixth, followed by Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly.
A chaotic race with plenty of drama
The race began with Hamilton making a clean getaway from his 105th career pole position, but the opening lap quickly descended into chaos.
Leclerc challenged aggressively, running off track before taking the lead, while Verstappen capitalised on the confusion to move ahead of Hamilton. Antonelli also made progress, passing Russell to move into fourth.
The stewards subsequently handed Leclerc a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage and Russell a 10-second penalty for causing a collision.
Ferrari’s afternoon became increasingly complicated as strategic decisions and pit stops reshuffled the order.
The biggest interruption came when Bottas suffered a suspension failure and crashed heavily at Turn One. The incident initially brought out the safety car before race control red-flagged the event.
Following a 45-minute suspension, the remaining 25-lap sprint resumed on soft tyres.
Hamilton recovered to third ahead of Antonelli and immediately began attacking Verstappen, while Leclerc struggled after locking up.
However, Verstappen held his nerve to secure victory, Hamilton settled for second and Antonelli comfortably maintained third to complete his championship-winning afternoon.
A new chapter for Formula One
Antonelli’s achievement represents more than just another championship victory for Mercedes. It signals the arrival of a new generation of Formula One talent capable of challenging the established names of the sport.
To celebrate his achievement, Antonelli shared the podium with Verstappen and Hamilton, two of the sport’s most accomplished drivers, whose combined championship tally stands at 11 titles.
As the Italian national anthem tradition was celebrated following the podium ceremony, the significance of his achievement was clear: Italy had a new Formula One world champion after more than seven decades.
At 20, Antonelli has already reached the summit of motorsport.
But as Bonnington reminded him over the radio, this may only be the beginning.
