Kimi Antonelli wins 2026 Formula 1 championship in Mexico
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 world champion in history at 20 years old after securing the title at the Mexico Grand Prix. He finished the campaign with nine Grand Prix victories, breaking the previous record held by Sebastian Vettel.
The youngest champion in history
Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Formula 1 world championship at the Mexico Grand Prix with four rounds left in the season. At 20 years old, the Mercedes driver became the youngest world champion in history. He broke the record previously held by Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he claimed his maiden championship with Red Bull in 2010. Antonelli finished the campaign with nine Grand Prix victories and one Sprint Race victory at the British Grand Prix. This dominance allows him to join the list of drivers to win a world championship for Mercedes.
| Driver | 2026 Grand Prix Wins | 2026 Sprint Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Kimi Antonelli | 9 | 1 |
| George Russell | 3 | 0 |
Antonelli arrived in Formula 1 with high expectations after a rapid rise through junior single-seater categories. He took the Mercedes seat following the departure of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari. The 2026 campaign showed his dominance through nine Grand Prix wins and a victory at the British Grand Prix. This performance allowed him to join the list of Mercedes drivers to win a world championship. He now faces the remaining rounds of the season to add to his victory tally. Following the race, Sky Sports F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham, Jamie Chadwick, and Nico Rosberg congratulated him. Pinkham told the driver, "Absolutely magnificent." Antonelli admitted he lost two seconds because he was crying at the end of the Mexican Grand Prix.
Wolff defends the decision
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended his decision to promote Antonelli into the Mercedes seat vacated by Lewis Hamilton ahead of the 2025 season. He recalled people saying they could not be serious about putting an 18-year-old in the car Hamilton previously drove. Many people argued that the Italian should have spent another year in Formula 2 to prove he was good enough. Voices grew louder after Antonelli went nine races in a row without scoring points during his rookie year. Wolff told Sky Sports that he never doubted the ability of the driver to deliver success for Mercedes. He viewed the 2025 season as a two year project where the second year needed to confirm what the team had seen in him. Wolff noted that it felt as if it was only yesterday that Antonelli was standing in a garage in junior karting as an 11-year-old.
After a difficult 2025 debut where he went nine races without scoring a point, Antonelli secured his title at the Mexico Grand Prix with four rounds remaining in the season. Antonelli said that the noise from doubters "added fuel to the fire" in his pursuit of the championship. He stated that experiencing low and difficult situations during his first year helped him mature as a driver and a person. He also said that racing for Mercedes under the spotlight helped him grow faster than if he had joined a smaller team. After the race in Mexico, Pinkham told the driver, "Absolutely magnificent." Antonelli thanked her for the heartfelt words.
Russell struggles to match pace
George Russell finished sixth in Mexico after suffering a battery issue on the opening lap and a 10 second penalty for a collision with Isack Hadjar. This result left him with three wins this season, whereas his teammate secured nine victories. Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle said Russell must find an "overdrive" or it is "game over." Brundle noted that Russell could not match the consistent speed of Antonelli. He said the driver had to observe the transformation of his teammate from a driver who was a bit of a liability in year one to a generational talent in year two.
Mercedes received a €5,000 fine from the FIA after the team excused Russell from media duties following the Grand Prix. Wolff said the British driver was distraught after the race. Brundle said he did not blame the driver for the decision to avoid questions about his future. Russell had spent a long time as a Mercedes junior at Williams before getting his chance after the team stopped winning. He had to face the fact that he was not as fast as Antonelli during the second half of stints on a set of tyres. Brundle added that Antonelli has all the hallmarks of a multiple F1 champion if he manages the pressure of traveling the world.
