Antonelli Makes History as Youngest F1 Champion; Verstappen Wins in Mexico

Mexico City, Nov 3:

Kimi Antonelli made Formula One history on Sunday, becoming the youngest-ever world champion at the age of 20 years and 68 days after finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix. While the Mercedes driver celebrated his maiden world title, Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance for Red Bull to win a dramatic race ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.

Antonelli entered the 71-lap race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez needing only a ninth-place finish to secure the championship, irrespective of the results of his closest rivals. Starting fourth on the grid, the Italian maintained his position among the leading drivers before crossing the line in third, extending his championship lead to an unassailable 119 points with four races remaining. His achievement ended Sebastian Vettel’s record as the youngest Formula One champion, set when the German won his first title at 23 years and 134 days in 2010.

Verstappen, who started fifth, produced an impressive drive to claim his third victory of the season and 74th career win. The Dutchman capitalised on an early battle between Hamilton and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc to move into second before taking the lead. Leclerc received a five-second penalty for cutting the track while battling Hamilton, allowing Verstappen to strengthen his position at the front. Despite sustained pressure from Hamilton in the closing stages, the four-time world champion held on to win by 0.799 seconds.

Hamilton finished second after starting from pole position, while Antonelli completed the podium, 4.006 seconds behind the winner. The race was interrupted on lap 46 following a heavy crash involving Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas, whose car suffered a front-left suspension failure before hitting the barriers. The incident brought out the red flag and resulted in a 33-minute stoppage for barrier repairs. Bottas was taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks and was subsequently released.

The race also witnessed tensions within Ferrari, with Hamilton expressing frustration over his battle with Leclerc during the opening laps. The seven-time world champion believed his teammate had compromised his race while attempting to take the lead. Although Leclerc was handed a time penalty, Hamilton was unable to challenge Verstappen for victory after the restart. A late safety car following a collision between McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad added further drama before Verstappen controlled the final restart.

Antonelli’s championship triumph also carries significance for Italian motorsport. He becomes Italy’s first Formula One world champion since Alberto Ascari won the title in 1953, ending a 73-year wait. The young Mercedes driver, who joined the team in 2025 as Hamilton’s replacement, has now established himself among the sport’s leading drivers in only his second season. With four rounds still remaining, attention will turn to Verstappen’s pursuit of second place in the championship and Mercedes’ bid to secure the constructors’ title when the Formula One calendar moves to Brazil for the next round.