Antonelli becomes world champion as Verstappen wins in Mexico
Kimi Antonelli secured his first Formula 1 world title at the Mexico City Grand Prix, becoming the youngest champion in the sport’s history at 20 years and 68 days. He finished third in a race won by Max Verstappen, with Lewis Hamilton second, and clinched the championship with several races still to come.
Antonelli broke Sebastian Vettel’s age record by three years and 67 days and became the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. A red flag following Valtteri Bottas’s crash turned the closing stages into a 25-lap sprint; Antonelli kept his composure and finished less than two seconds behind Verstappen and Hamilton. Ferrari’s first-lap battle between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc added tension, while Verstappen took his third win in four races.
In short
- Antonelli became F1’s youngest world champion at 20.
- He sealed the title with a third-place finish in Mexico.
- Verstappen won, ahead of Hamilton.
Explained simply
Formula 1 is the sport’s top international series for single-seat racing cars. Drivers compete for points at races around the world, and the driver with the most points over a season wins the world championship.
Kimi Antonelli is an Italian driver, while Max Verstappen is a multiple-time champion and Lewis Hamilton is one of the sport’s most successful drivers. The championship brings together results from many races, so a driver can secure the title before the season’s final event if their points lead is large enough.
Antonelli’s title is notable because Italy had not had a world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. The youngest-champion record also offers a way to compare drivers across generations, though each season’s cars, competitors and race conditions differ.
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