In brief
On November 2, 2026, at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Formula One Drivers’ Championship with a third‑place finish, breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record and ending a 73‑year wait for an Italian title. Max Verstappen won the race and Lewis Hamilton finished second. Antonelli’s historic win followed a season‑long championship advantage and a tense race that included crashes and safety‑car periods.
On November 2, 2026, at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mercedes‑driver Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Formula One Drivers’ Championship after finishing third in the race, becoming the sport’s youngest champion at 20 years old.
Both Anadolu Agency and the Saudi Press Agency reported that Antonelli broke Sebastian Vettel’s record and became the first Italian to claim a world title since 1953, a 73‑year wait for Italy.
TASS added that the 20‑year‑old, who was 20 years and 69 days old at the time, achieved the title with a historic finish in Mexico, surpassing Vettel’s 23‑year‑old record from 2010.
The race itself saw Red Bull’s Max Verstappen win the 71‑lap Mexican Grand Prix, with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton second and Antonelli third, preserving his championship lead with a safe finish.
Antonelli started fourth on the grid, maintained his position after a chaotic opening lap that sent Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc into the lead, and briefly led before pit stops.
He held fourth until lap 44, switched from soft to medium tires, and re‑joined behind a crash involving Cadets’ Valtteri Bottas that prompted a safety car and later a red flag.
Following the restart, Hamilton overtook Leclerc while Antonelli held Lando Norris. On lap 48, Antonelli overtook Leclerc at Turn 1, securing third place and cementing his championship hopes, then maintained position through another safety‑car period triggered by Arvid Lindblad’s crash on lap 59.
“We did it! And I wouldn’t be here without Mercedes and without my family. I’m speechless, I’m trying to process what’s just happened,” Antonelli said after the race, reflecting on the historic achievement.
