Sports · F1 · Mexico City

Antonelli Becomes Youngest F1 World Champion

Kimi Antonelli finishes third behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in Mexico City, the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

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Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes clinched the Formula 1 world championship by finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix, becoming the youngest champion in the sport's history, while Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

Antonelli, 20 years and 68 days old, needed only to finish ninth. He started fourth, pitted shortly before Valtteri Bottas crashed his Cadillac at Turn 1 and the race was stopped, and passed Charles Leclerc after the restart.

Verstappen beat Hamilton by 0.799 seconds for his third win of the season, from fifth on the grid. Leclerc, who cut the Turn 4-5 chicane on the opening lap, finished fourth after a five-second penalty.

Antonelli breaks Sebastian Vettel's record by three years and 66 days and is the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. The season moves to São Paulo, November 6–8.

Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes clinched the Formula 1 world championship by finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix, becoming the youngest champion in the sport's history, while Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull ahead of Lewis Hamilton.

Antonelli, 20 years and 68 days old, needed only to finish ninth to secure the title.

He started fourth and ran fourth through the first stint behind Charles Leclerc, Verstappen and Hamilton. He pitted for fresh tires shortly before Valtteri Bottas crashed his Cadillac at Turn 1 when his front-left suspension failed under braking.

The race was stopped while the barrier was repaired. Antonelli passed Leclerc after the standing restart, and a late Safety Car for Arvid Lindblad's crash after contact with Oscar Piastri bunched the field again.

Verstappen beat Hamilton by 0.799 seconds over 71 laps, with Antonelli 4.006 seconds behind the winner. It was Verstappen's third win of the season, from fifth on the grid.

Hamilton started from pole, but Leclerc went around him on the opening lap by cutting the Turn 4-5 chicane. Verstappen took second in the confusion. Leclerc served a five-second penalty and finished fourth.

Lando Norris was fifth and George Russell sixth after a 10-second penalty for spinning Isack Hadjar on the first lap.

Antonelli breaks Sebastian Vettel's record by three years and 66 days and is the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

"We did it. We did it," he told his team on the radio.

The season moves to the São Paulo Grand Prix, November 6⁠–⁠8.

Sources

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