Kimi Antonelli clinches 2026 F1 title with podium at Mexico City Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s youngest-ever world champion on Sunday, sealing the 2026 drivers’ title with a third-place finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix even as Max Verstappen won the race.

Antonelli, the Mercedes driver, arrived at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez needing only a ninth-place finish or better to clinch the championship regardless of what his nearest rivals did. He comfortably cleared that mark in a 71-lap race, finishing on the podium behind winner Verstappen and runner-up Lewis Hamilton. In Formula 1, the drivers’ championship is decided by points accumulated across the season, meaning Antonelli did not need to win Sunday’s race to secure the title.

The significance went well beyond the points math. At 20 years, 68 days old, Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 world champion in history, breaking one of the sport’s most prominent age records by a wide margin. The previous youngest champion was Sebastian Vettel, who won the 2010 title at 23 years, 134 days. Antonelli also became the first Italian driver to win the Formula 1 drivers’ championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953, ending a wait of more than seven decades for Italy.

Sunday’s race still had plenty of disruption, though the championship outcome remained the main story. According to Formula1.com’s race report, Verstappen won from fifth on the grid. The race was interrupted by a mid-race red flag after a heavy crash for Valtteri Bottas, and a late Safety Car followed another crash involving Arvid Lindblad, bunching the field before the finish.

Even with that late reset, Antonelli’s third-place result was enough to complete the title clinch in Mexico City. Verstappen took the race win, Hamilton finished second, and Antonelli secured the podium finish that formally crowned him champion.

For Formula 1, the result marks a historic changing of the guard. Antonelli leaves Mexico as the 2026 world champion, the youngest title winner the series has ever seen, and the first Italian to claim the sport’s biggest prize since Ascari 73 years ago.