Kimi Antonelli Becomes Formula 1's Youngest World Champion as Verstappen Wins in Mexico City

By The Arena Staff

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 1, 2026 — Kimi Antonelli did not need to win the Mexico City Grand Prix. He needed ninth place. He finished third, and that was enough to make the 20-year-old Mercedes driver the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history.

Antonelli wrapped up the 2026 drivers' title with four races still on the calendar, at 20 years and 68 days old. That beats Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 years and 134 days old when he won his first crown in 2010, according to Mercedes and the FIA. He is also the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953 and, Mercedes said, the first graduate of its junior program to win the title.

"We did it, we did it," Antonelli said over the team radio after crossing the line. Later he added, "I would not be here without Mercedes and my family, I am speechless just trying to process this."

Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull, finishing 0.799 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in the official classification. It was Verstappen's sixth win in Mexico City and his third of the season, the FIA said. Antonelli was 4.006 seconds back in third, ahead of Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and teammate George Russell.

Hamilton started from his first pole with Ferrari but lost the lead on the fourth lap while fighting with Leclerc, who was later given a five-second penalty. Hamilton was not happy about how it was handled. "The stewards are basically handing Charles this win," he said on the radio.

The race was stopped with a red flag on Lap 46 after Valtteri Bottas's Cadillac suffered a suspension failure approaching Turn 1 and went into the barriers. Bottas got out of the car on his own and was taken to the medical center for checks. A late safety car followed when Arvid Lindblad crashed out. Antonelli started fourth and resumed fourth after the stoppage, then got past Leclerc into Turn 1 on the second lap after the restart, according to Mercedes. It was his 17th podium of the season.

The title is the 10th drivers' championship for Mercedes. Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, also an Italian, put it in national terms. "For 73 years, our country has waited for this moment, and today an entire nation will celebrate one of its own reaching the very pinnacle of our sport," he said, according to AAP.

The season goes on to Brazil next, then Las Vegas.

Video: Kimi Antonelli Is The F1 World Champion! and Race Highlights on Formula 1's official YouTube channel.

Sources: FIA, Mercedes-AMG F1, AAP and Formula 1 results.