Kimi Antonelli wins 2026 Formula 1 title at Mexican Grand Prix

Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Formula 1 title at the Mexican Grand Prix at age 20. The Italian driver won nine grands prix this year during his second season in the sport. Mercedes technical director James Allison explained that Antonelli used extreme steering wheel settings to maintain pace.

Bold steering wheel adjustments

Antonelli uses brake migration and the differential to manage car handling. He adjusts these tools to change how braking force shares between the front and rear of the car as a corner unfolds. Allison said the driver is "very, very adventurous" with these settings. If the car understeers, he uses the diff and brake migration to free it up so it turns even if it does not want to. He closes them down when the car feels too lively.

This approach allows him to take lap time from the moment he hits the brakes to the apex. He manages this with a minimum of fuss. This flexibility helps him look after tyres. While other drivers peel into the pits, Antonelli maintains his lap times even 20 laps into a stint. He does not damage the rear tyres because of the work he does on the entry.

Trust in Bono

The driver maintains a high level of trust with race engineer Peter "Bono" Bonnington. Antonelli tells him, "Well, I trust you. You do what you think is right, and I’ll try and work with what I get." Allison noted that Bono would probably say this was one of the most pleasurable seasons he has had. Antonelli handles the car with enough control to keep it pointed nicely to the apex.