Kimi Antonelli is 2026 F1 world champion at 20, the youngest ever, after third place in Mexico
Third in Mexico City gave Antonelli an unbeatable 119-point lead with 100 points left. At 20 years and 68 days, he breaks Vettel's youngest-champion record.
Kimi Antonelli is the 2026 Formula 1 world champion. The Mercedes driver finished third in the Mexico City Grand Prix, which ended early on Monday morning Malaysia time, and that result put the title beyond the reach of every rival with four rounds still to run. At 20 years and 68 days, the Italian is the youngest champion in the sport's history, beating Sebastian Vettel's 2010 record by more than three years.
The title maths, checked
Antonelli arrived in Mexico on 365 points, 123 ahead of team-mate George Russell (242) and 124 ahead of Lewis Hamilton (241). He needed ninth place or better to be sure of the crown, whatever his rivals did.
Third place earned him 15 points, taking him to 380. Max Verstappen's win lifted the Red Bull driver to 261, now second in the standings. That leaves Antonelli 119 points clear.
Four grands prix remain: Sao Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. None of them is a sprint weekend, so the most any driver can score from here is 4 x 25 = 100 points. Even if Verstappen won all four, he would finish on 361, still 19 short of Antonelli's current total. The title is mathematically settled.
Drivers' standings after Mexico (top 10)
These figures include the post-race penalties to Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly:
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 380
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 261
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 259
- George Russell (Mercedes) 250
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 245
- Lando Norris (McLaren) 221
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 144
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) 107
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) 83
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) 42
A season of records
Antonelli has won nine of the 19 grands prix held so far in 2026. He is the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, ending a 73-year wait for the country, and joins Juan Manuel Fangio, Jacques Villeneuve and Hamilton as drivers to win the title in their second F1 season.
His title-clinching race was not straightforward. He started fourth, ran a long first stint, led for a spell as others pitted, and was the last driver to stop, on lap 43. After the red flag for Valtteri Bottas's crash he restarted fourth and later moved up to third when Charles Leclerc faded with a flat-spotted tyre. Afterwards he credited his team and family for getting him there.
Mercedes' constructors' title must wait
Mercedes were unable to wrap up the constructors' championship in Mexico. They lead on 630 points to Ferrari's 504, a gap of 126. With two cars able to score a maximum of 43 points per weekend, 172 points are still available, so Ferrari remain mathematically alive.
The picture can change in Brazil. After Sao Paulo, 129 points will be left on the table, so Mercedes will be champions there if they outscore Ferrari by four points or more on the weekend.
Key takeaways
- Antonelli, 20 years and 68 days old, is the youngest F1 world champion in history.
- He leads Verstappen by 119 points with only 100 points left to play for.
- He has nine wins this season and is Italy's first champion since 1953.
- Mercedes lead Ferrari by 126 in the constructors' table and can seal that title in Brazil.
FAQ
Did Kimi Antonelli win the 2026 F1 championship? Yes. His third place in Mexico City gave him a 119-point lead with only 100 points remaining, so no one can catch him.
How old is Antonelli? He is 20 years and 68 days old, making him the youngest world champion ever, more than three years younger than Vettel was in 2010.
Have Mercedes won the 2026 constructors' title? Not yet. They lead Ferrari by 126 points with 172 available, and can clinch it at the Sao Paulo GP by outscoring Ferrari by four points or more.
Sources: Formula1.com, Sky Sports, RaceFans, RacingNews365, Malay Mail, Speedcafe