Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has become the youngest champion in Formula 1 history, securing the title at the age of 20 after finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix. Antonelli's podium finish, behind race winner Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, was enough to give him an unassailable lead in the standings with four races remaining in the season.
"We did it, we did it," a visibly emotional Antonelli said after crossing the finish line, his voice cracking. "I’m still trying to realize and understand what just happened, when you work so hard and then you finally achieve it is truly special. All the emotions come, to be able to witness this moment with my family is a moment I will always remember."
Antonelli, the first Italian to win the Formula 1 title since Alberto Ascari in 1953, surpassed the previous record held by Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he won his first championship in 2010. Antonelli's teammate George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton were his closest competitors for the championship.
Despite securing the title, the Mexican Grand Prix weekend presented challenges for Antonelli. He fell ill earlier in the week and described the mental battle of having the championship so close as his greatest hurdle. "The weekend has not been easy; I kept hearing the same thing over and over again. It is not easy to hear congratulations on a win when the job is not yet done," Antonelli reflected. "But hearing it repeatedly made me realize that I could actually achieve it."
The race itself was notable for Max Verstappen's record-equalling sixth victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The race was briefly halted by a red flag on lap 46 following a crash involving Valtteri Bottas, who was reported to be uninjured.
During the race, a controversial maneuver between Ferrari teammates Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc led to a five-second penalty for Leclerc, costing Hamilton positions and drawing his ire. "The stewards are basically handing Charles this win. We agreed in the drivers’ briefing," Hamilton stated after the race. "The problem with a 5-second penalty is that he’s got clean air and doesn’t have to manage (the car) like the rest of us. He should have just given the position back."
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali congratulated Antonelli, stating, "For 73 years, our country has waited for this moment, and today an entire nation will celebrate one of its own reaching the very pinnacle of our sport. Today, his name joins the legends of our sport. A new chapter in Formula 1 history has been written, and I firmly believe this is only the beginning of an extraordinary legacy."