Antonelli Clinches F1 Title at 20 as Wolff Defends Decision

Kimi Antonelli clinched the 2026 Formula One drivers’ championship with a third-place finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix, becoming the youngest champion in the sport’s history at 20. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised the Italian’s achievement and defended the team’s decision to put him in its car as a teenager despite criticism of his promotion. Antonelli secured the title behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The result made him champion in his second Formula One season and surpassed the age record set by Sebastian Vettel in 2010, according to the reports. Wolff said Mercedes’ choice to promote Antonelli for 2025 was a calculated risk, not a reckless one. He recalled that doubts had begun during Antonelli’s junior career and grew after a difficult Formula Two season. The team put him in the seat after Lewis Hamilton told Wolff he would leave Mercedes for Ferrari, Wolff said. The team principal said critics questioned whether Antonelli belonged in Formula One and suggested he should race for a smaller team. He also said Antonelli went without points for a stretch of his rookie season and cried at Spa. One account described the...