Kimi Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 world champion in history after clinching the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix on 2 November 2026. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver secured the championship in only his second season.
Antonelli finished third behind race winner Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, sharing the podium with the two most successful champions on the current grid. Both Hamilton and Verstappen described his achievement as "incredible." Antonelli said he would frame the photograph of the moment, calling it "truly special and a moment that will live and will always be remembered."
The title caps a remarkable turnaround from a shaky debut season in 2025, when Antonelli replaced Hamilton at Mercedes and struggled to match teammate George Russell. Over the winter he made a dramatic step forward, winning five consecutive races early in 2026 and never relinquishing the championship lead. Even as Mercedes' early advantage faded, Antonelli's consistency kept him ahead. Former champion Damon Hill said he saw "nothing else other than him getting better and better," while outgoing champion Lando Norris praised Antonelli for having "blown everyone away" and making "everyone else look silly."
Antonelli acknowledged that the difficulties of his rookie year were formative. "Experiencing really low and difficult situations, high-pressure moments, really helped me to face certain situations this year and definitely they made me mature a lot as a driver, as a person," he said. He admitted feeling tense during qualifying in Mexico, but on the final lap of the race he was overcome with emotion, saying he lost time because he was crying and could not see clearly. His father Marco and mother Veronica were there to greet him, and he became emotional remembering his late grandfather during the champions' press conference.
At 20, Antonelli joins the list of all-time greats, with many expecting him to dominate the sport for years to come.
