20 year old Antonelli shatters 16 year record as youngest F1 champion
The Italian driver secured the championship with four races remaining after finishing third in Mexico City behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
By Mateo Thompson ·
Kimi Antonelli crossed the finish line in third place on Sunday in Mexico City, but the result changed the sport. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver became the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, a record that stood for 16 years. He finished behind race winner Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, both of whom had started from the front row.
Antonelli took the lead in the standings after the race in the Mexican capital. With four races still on the calendar, he holds an unassailable advantage over his teammate George Russell and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton. The previous youngest champion was Sebastian Vettel, who won the title at age 23 in 2010. Antonelli is the first Italian to claim the crown since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
The race was not without interruption. On lap 46, a red flag stopped the session after Valtteri Bottas crashed into the wall at the first corner. His car suffered issues with the right-side suspension. Cadillac, the team, reported that Bottas received further medical assessments as a precaution. He exited his car unaided and waved to the crowd before leaving the track.
When the race restarted, Verstappen led the pack. He was followed by Charles Leclerc, Hamilton, Antonelli, Lando Norris, and Russell. Verstappen held the lead to the end, securing his sixth victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Tensions rose between the two Ferrari drivers. Hamilton had taken pole position on Saturday but lost it on the fourth lap after a battle with Leclerc. The incident resulted in a five-second penalty for Leclerc. Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, expressed frustration over the decision. He stated that the stewards were effectively handing the win to Leclerc, who would benefit from clean air without needing to manage the car like the others.
Aston Martin faced its own difficulties. Fernando Alonso, a two-time champion, retired early due to an engine issue. His teammate Lance Stroll also exited the race on the seventh lap. Alonso noted that the car had performed well in practice but failed in qualifying and again during the race. He described the reliability problems as occurring at the worst possible time.
Formula 1 will next travel to Brazil and then to Las Vegas. The final two scheduled races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi face uncertainty due to regional instability.
