The 20-year-old Mercedes driver secured his maiden championship at the Mexico City grand prix, bringing his extraordinary second season in Formula 1 to a memorable conclusion.
Antonelli’s championship-winning campaign has been built on consistency, confidence and exceptional driving ability. Although Mercedes team-mate George Russel looked like a serious title rival, Antonelli worked hard to establish himself as the driver to beat.
The young Italian’s season included nine Grand Prix victories, 15 podium finishes and seven pole positions in the first 18 rounds.
His standout performances, that arguably bagged him the championship, were his five consecutive victories between China and Monaco. He also secured and maintained his position at the top of the championship standings from as early as the Japanese Grand Prix.
... extending his championship advantage to 123 points over team mate Russell and 124 over 7 time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton.
Another defining moment of many in his second season campaign came at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. Antonelli delivered a commanding victory, his ninth of the season, extending his championship advantage to 123 points over team mate Russell and 124 over 7 time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton. Although he narrowly missed the opportunity to secure the title in Austin, the result left Kimi needing just two more points to become world champion.
Ultimately, it all came down to his performance in round 19 of the 2026 F1 season at the Mexico City grand prix. Antonelli, starting fourth on the grid, had to finish ninth or higher to guarantee his championship, regardless of his rivals’ results.
The 71-lap race proved far from straightforward. Max Verstappen led the charge, while Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc also challenged towards the front. A dramatic incident involving Valtteri Bottas brought out the red flag, resulting in a lengthy stoppage of almost 40 minutes. The drivers then returned for a standing restart, adding further pressure to an already tense afternoon.
After the restart, he overtook Leclerc to move into third place, putting himself in an excellent position to secure the title.
Antonelli remained composed throughout the disruption. After the restart, he overtook Leclerc to move into third place, putting himself in an excellent position to secure the title. Despite late challenges and technical concerns with his Mercedes, he held on to finish third, behind race winner Verstappen and second-placed Hamilton.
They crossed the line nose to tail, less than two seconds covering all three cars. That podium was enough. Antonelli had officially become Formula 1’s youngest-ever World Champion, exceeding Sebastian Vettel’s previous record.
Kimi had become one of the greats alongside two of the greatest drivers of all time.
After such a difficult and hard-fought season, Kimi had become one of the greats alongside two of the greatest drivers of all time. The perfect end to his 2026 F1 campaign.
Antonelli let out tears and laughter over the radio to his team, of which he was incapable of talking as pure emotion and relief whelmed over him. At just 20 years-old, Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already achieved what every F1 driver dreams of. The world is now waiting to see how far the new champion can go.