Andrea Kimi Antonelli 2026 Formula 1 world championship, Digi Mart USA News (Mexico): Antonelli has become Formula 1 world champion at the Mexican Grand Prix, according to a report from Motor.es, a Spanish motorsport publication. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver finished third in the race, a result that secured the title and made him the youngest world champion in the sport’s history.
The weekend was not without distractions. Liam Lawson clashed with Max Verstappen on Friday, and both drivers were penalized for the incident.
On Saturday, Haas and Esteban Ocon announced an unexpected and turbulent contract termination that leaves the Frenchman without a seat for the rest of the season, with Hirakawa, coming from endurance racing, taking his place.
In qualifying, Lewis Hamilton took his first pole position with Ferrari, his 105th overall and the first since 2023. Charles Leclerc finished third on the grid, giving Ferrari its first front-row position of the year.
Antonelli qualified fifth, a position that would have moved to fourth after the penalty applied to Verstappen.
The report notes that Antonelli’s title was built on a strong season, not only on the car. He recovered from the back of the field, won from pole, and managed races when needed, according to the article.
The author also points to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who backed the driver’s development early in his career.
Antonelli’s achievement places him among the sport’s youngest champions. The article compares him with Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 and Lewis Hamilton in 2008, both champions in their second seasons, and it adds Mercedes’ tradition of champions alongside Rudolf Caracciola, Juan Manuel Fangio and Lewis Hamilton.
The report also notes that the date coincided with the anniversary of the death of Ricardo Rodríguez, a Mexican driver who died at age 20 after a crash during practice for the 1962 Mexican Grand Prix.
