Kimi Antonelli is the new Formula 1 world champion. The 20-year-old Italian clinched his first title by finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix on November 1, becoming the youngest champion in F1 history at 20 years and 68 days — smashing Sebastian Vettel’s previous record by three years and 67 days.
Kimi Antonelli (Credits: BBC Sport)
Antonelli sealed the crown in only his second season in Formula 1, needing merely a top-ten finish with several races still to go. There were tears mixed with laughter on the slowing-down lap as his team delivered the news, and once he had half-composed himself he said: “Thank you so much. We did it. We did it.”
Verstappen Wins Mexico Grand Prix Ahead of Hamilton
The race itself was won by Max Verstappen, his third victory in four races, with Lewis Hamilton second for Ferrari. The pair crossed the line nose to tail, less than two seconds covering the top three cars after a red flag on lap 45 set up a 25-lap sprint to the finish.
Ferrari Drama: Hamilton vs Leclerc Boils Over in Mexico
The day’s biggest subplot came from inside Ferrari. Charles Leclerc launched an aggressive challenge on pole-sitter Hamilton through Turns One, Two and Three on the opening lap, and the pair’s rivalry came close to boiling over. Hamilton made contact with Verstappen at the first chicane after the restart but could never get close enough to attempt a pass, ending the day frustrated and feeling a win had slipped away because of Leclerc’s aggression.
For Antonelli, though, the day belonged entirely to him. A composed drive amid the chaos — including a scary Bottas crash that brought out the red flag and a late Leclerc lock-up that let the Italian through — delivered the title with room to spare. The boy who learned his trade in his family’s garage has now rewritten the record books.
Also Read: Check out our other Formula 1 stories here.
Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
