Antonelli Becomes Formula One’s Youngest Champion

Kimi Antonelli became Formula One’s youngest world champion on November 1, clinching the 2026 title with a third-place finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix and four rounds remaining in the season. The Italian Mercedes driver was 20 years and 68 days old when he secured the championship, surpassing the previous age record held by Germany’s Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 years and 134 days old when he won in 2010. Antonelli is the first Italian Formula One champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. Antonelli started fourth at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. After a red flag interrupted the race following a crash involving Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas, he resumed in fourth and later regained third with a pass on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. He finished 4.006 seconds behind race winner Max Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton placed second for Ferrari. Antonelli’s podium secured an unassailable lead in the drivers’ standings, according to the race account. Before the event, a ninth-place finish would have been enough for him to clinch the title regardless of the results of his closest competitors, Hamilton and Mercedes teammate George Russell. The championship is Antonelli’s first and came in...