Antonelli Wins US Grand Prix, Moves Within Two Points of Title

Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 25, moving within two points of securing the Formula 1 drivers’ championship while leaving the title undecided for at least one more race. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver finished ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. George Russell, Antonelli’s teammate and closest title rival, placed eighth, while Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Ferrari. Those results kept both mathematically in contention after the race. Antonelli has 365 points, a 123-point lead over Russell, with 125 points available across the season’s final five races. He can clinch the championship by scoring two points at the Mexico City Grand Prix on November 1. A ninth-place finish would be enough, according to the post-race standings calculations. The Austin result was Antonelli’s ninth victory of the season. He started from pole position and used a one-stop strategy. Antonelli credited Mercedes’ work on a new car package and the team’s strategy for the performance, describing it as a collective effort. The race result gave him another opportunity to become Formula 1’s youngest champion, but he did not secure the title in Texas....