Antonelli clinches 2026 F1 title in Mexico

Kimi Antonelli clinched the 2026 Formula One drivers’ championship with third place at the Mexico City Grand Prix, becoming the youngest champion in the sport’s history with four races remaining in the season. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver secured the title at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez after starting fourth. Max Verstappen won the race, with Lewis Hamilton second. Antonelli’s result was enough to settle the championship before the season’s final four rounds. The title capped a sharp turnaround from a difficult 2025 rookie season. Antonelli finished seventh in the standings that year and faced criticism after a run of poor results. He said that experiencing difficult, high-pressure situations helped prepare him for 2026 and made him more mature as a driver. Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, said the decision to promote Antonelli followed Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. Wolff said he immediately decided Antonelli should take the seat. The Italian had joined Mercedes’ development programme as a child and was selected to replace the seven-time champion for the 2025 season. Wolff praised Antonelli after the Mexico race, describing him as a role model and pointing to values...