How Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) will become Formula 1 World Champion in Mexico

Kimi Antonelli was unable to clinch his World Championship title at the first attempt. Although he won the United States Grand Prix in Austin on Sunday, the title decider has been postponed by a week because, from Antonelli’s perspective, his Mercedes team-mate George Russell and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton finished too far ahead of him. For the title to be decided in Austin, Russell would have had to finish no higher than ninth (he finished eighth), and Hamilton no higher than fifth (he finished fourth).

Antonelli needs just two more points to win the F1 World Championship

So now the decision has been postponed until Mexico in a week’s time. Kimi Antonelli needs just two more points to ensure that, with five GPs still to go, no one can overtake him. This means that ninth place in Mexico will be enough for him – regardless of what the competition does. (Incidentally, this also means that should any race be cancelled, Antonelli would automatically be World Champion.)

Antonelli on the Austin race

After the US Grand Prix, Antonelli – who has not yet been crowned champion – was nevertheless over the moon about his victory, describing it as one of his best weekends in Formula 1.

Antonelli: “I think it was one of the best race weekends because we developed so well over the course of the weekend. It was also a great team effort, especially with the strategy, when we went for the one-stop tactic. They all deserve this result today.”

The Italian revealed details of the strategic decisions that ultimately secured him the victory: “I was a bit worried at the start, but then we were able to extend the lead, and the pace actually came back on the medium tyres, so we could increase the gap without losing too much time. And after we’d completed the first stint on the medium tyres, we thought: ‘Oh, right, let’s try a one-stop strategy.’ And the hard tyres felt very durable, so I was quite confident I could make it to the end. I just didn’t know how much tyre management would be required, but it went well, and the car felt very good today.”

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So Antonelli hasn’t become world champion in Austin just yet – but the title is all but his. He needs just two points to become the youngest world champion in F1 history – even if Hamilton or Russell were to win all the remaining races. If it all goes to plan in Mexico, Antonelli would be exactly 20 years and 68 days old on the day he clinches the world title. Sebastian Vettel, the previous record-holder, was by contrast almost an old hand when he won his first title in 2010 at the age of 23 years and 134 days.