Antonelli becomes Formula One's youngest champion as Verstappen wins in Mexico

Kimi Antonelli is the world champion. The Mercedes driver finished third at the Mexico City Grand Prix in the early hours of Monday, India time, to wrap up the title with four rounds still to run, while Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull.

At 20, Antonelli is the youngest champion in Formula One history, beating the record Sebastian Vettel set at 23 in 2010. He is also the first Italian to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953, and he has done it in only his second season.

“I wouldn’t be here without Mercedes, without my family, so I’m very grateful for this moment,” Antonelli said. “To share this podium with Max and Lewis is truly incredible.”

The race itself belonged to others. Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc ran wide together at turn 4 on the opening lap, and Leclerc cut the chicane to take the lead. He later served a five-second penalty, and Verstappen took over at the front after the pit stops. “The stewards are basically handing Charles this win,” Hamilton said over the radio.

A heavy crash for Valtteri Bottas, whose Cadillac suffered a front-left suspension failure on lap 44, brought out a long red flag. Bottas was unhurt. After the restart, Antonelli passed Leclerc at turn 1 on lap 58 to take the final podium place, and Verstappen held on to beat Hamilton by 0.799 seconds. “I was sweating at the end to try and keep Lewis behind,” Verstappen said.

Leclerc was fourth and Lando Norris fifth. George Russell, the only driver who could still have caught Antonelli, finished sixth after a ten-second penalty for tipping Isack Hadjar into a spin.