Antonelli seals youngest Formula 1 champion title in Mexico
Kimi Antonelli secured the Formula 1 world championship at 20 by finishing third in Mexico City. Max Verstappen won the race ahead of Lewis Hamilton, but the Mercedes driver had needed only ninth place to clinch the title. A red flag and two safety-car periods interrupted the race before Antonelli completed his championship-winning podium finish.
Sports··Midday
Third place seals Antonelli’s championship
Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s youngest world champion at 20. The Mercedes driver secured the title with third place in the Mexico City Grand Prix. His championship was confirmed on a day when the race victory went to Max Verstappen.[1], [2]
Antonelli needed only ninth place, regardless of the finishing positions of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. He started fourth and reached the podium after 71 laps at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit. Hamilton finished second behind Verstappen, who had started fifth and claimed his third victory of the season.[1]
Bottas crash brings a red flag
Verstappen began on medium tyres while rivals used softs, taking the lead when Charles Leclerc stopped on lap 27. A front-left suspension problem preceded Valtteri Bottas’s crash at the first corner. The safety car was deployed before barrier repairs brought a red flag on lap 46. Bottas left the car unaided and went to the medical centre as a precaution.[1]
Antonelli passes Leclerc after the restart
Verstappen kept the lead at the restart. Hamilton overtook Leclerc, with Antonelli passing the Ferrari driver on the next lap. Leclerc finished fourth, followed by Lando Norris and Russell. Late contact between Arvid Lindblad and Oscar Piastri prompted another safety-car period. Brazil is the next round on the calendar, scheduled for November 6–8.[1]
