Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship with third place in the Mexico City Grand Prix, Round 19, on November 1 (UTC). The 20-year-old Italian becomes the youngest World Champion in F1 history, taking the title in only his second season.
Verstappen holds on after a red flag and Safety Car
Verstappen won from fifth on the grid, completing the 71 laps in 2h 20m 28.772s for his third victory of the season. Hamilton finished second for Ferrari, 0.799s behind, while Antonelli was 4.006s adrift in third, sharing the podium with two multiple-time F1 World Champions.
Hamilton led towards the first corner from pole, but Ferrari team mate Leclerc attacked around the outside. They ran side by side through the opening turns, with Hamilton narrowly ahead.
In the next part of their battle, Hamilton defended again and both Ferraris ran off the circuit, narrowly avoiding contact. Leclerc crossed the grass and emerged in front. Hamilton rejoined with a compromised corner exit, allowing Verstappen through. Leclerc now led Verstappen, who had climbed from fifth to second, with Hamilton third.
A brief Virtual Safety Car on Lap 7 followed Stroll stopping at Turn 6, while Alonso retired in the pits. By Lap 12, Leclerc had received a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during his opening-lap battle with Hamilton. Russell received 10 seconds for contact that spun Hadjar on the first lap.
Leclerc pitted from the lead on Lap 27, with second-placed Verstappen following him in. While Leclerc served his five-second penalty, Verstappen passed him in the pits. Hamilton stopped on the following lap, handing the lead to Antonelli, who had yet to change tyres. Verstappen was now ahead of the other drivers who had already stopped.
Antonelli extended his opening stint to Lap 43 and rejoined fourth after his stop, putting Verstappen into the lead. Bottas then crashed heavily at Turn 1, initially bringing out the Safety Car. Barrier damage led to the race being red-flagged from Lap 46.
Verstappen, Leclerc, Hamilton and Antonelli lined up in the first four positions for the standing restart on Lap 47. Hamilton passed his team mate off the line and attacked Verstappen around the outside at Turn 1. After light contact, Verstappen remained ahead, with Hamilton second.
Third place completes Antonelli’s title charge
Antonelli started fourth. The FIA’s final grid placed Verstappen fifth after a one-place penalty, promoting Antonelli from fifth in qualifying. On Lap 48, he overtook Leclerc for third and ultimately finished third. Team mate George Russell finished sixth.
Later, Arvid Lindblad retired at Turn 2 after a collision with Oscar Piastri, bringing out the Safety Car. It was recalled with eight laps remaining, and Verstappen again resisted Hamilton’s pressure to hold the lead to the finish. The stewards have summoned both drivers over the Turn 2 incident; a decision is pending.
Leclerc resisted Norris’ late pressure to finish fourth, with the McLaren driver fifth. Piastri, Franco Colapinto, pit-lane starter Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly filled seventh to 10th. Ryo Hirakawa, the late replacement for Esteban Ocon, finished 13th on his F1 Grand Prix debut.
F1’s official driver profile lists Antonelli’s birth date as August 25, 2006. Using the local race date in Mexico, he was 20 years and 68 days old when he clinched the championship. The official live coverage also confirmed that this is his second F1 season: after replacing Hamilton at Mercedes, he has brought his first drivers’ title to the team.
In the post-race interview carried by F1’s official live coverage, Antonelli said: “We did it! And I wouldn’t be here without Mercedes and without my family. I’m speechless, I’m trying to process what’s just happened.” He acknowledged feeling more tense during this weekend and said he was delighted to have completed the job.
Antonelli described sharing the podium with Verstappen and Hamilton as incredible and looked forward to more battles. Hamilton congratulated him and Mercedes, describing his achievement in becoming F1’s youngest World Champion as phenomenal. Verstappen praised Antonelli’s season and said he was proud of him.
Race results
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time / Status | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 71 | 2:20:28.772 | 25 |
| 2 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 71 | +0.799s | 18 |
| 3 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 71 | +4.006s | 15 |
| 4 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 71 | +10.707s | 12 |
| 5 | 1 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 71 | +11.778s | 10 |
| 6 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 71 | +12.263s | 8 |
| 7 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 71 | +19.475s | 6 |
| 8 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 71 | +20.204s | 4 |
| 9 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 71 | +20.899s | 2 |
| 10 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 71 | +21.483s | 1 |
| 11 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 71 | +22.041s | 0 |
| 12 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | 71 | +22.503s | 0 |
| 13 | 50 | Ryo Hirakawa | Haas | 71 | +25.373s | 0 |
| 14 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 71 | +27.562s | 0 |
| 15 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 71 | +28.638s | 0 |
| 16 | 27 | Nico Hülkenberg | Audi | 71 | +29.977s | 0 |
| 17 | 11 | Sergio Pérez | Cadillac | 71 | +30.695s | 0 |
| NC | 41 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 58 | Retired | 0 |
| NC | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 47 | Retired | 0 |
| NC | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 42 | Retired | 0 |
| NC | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 5 | Retired | 0 |
| NC | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 5 | Retired | 0 |
INKA SPORTS Analysis and Summary: Why was third place enough to clinch the title?
Before the race, F1 had confirmed that a finish of ninth or better would guarantee Antonelli the championship regardless of any other driver’s result. His third-place finish therefore met that condition on its own.
The race delivered two distinct outcomes: Verstappen won the Mexico City Grand Prix, while Antonelli converted his work across the season into the drivers’ championship. Becoming champion at 20, in his second F1 season, gives his third-place finish a significance far beyond this race alone.
