20-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli becomes Formula 1 champion early in the 2026 season
To secure the title early, he only needed to finish ninth or higher in Mexico. Kimi finished third yesterday.
20-year-old Italian Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured the Formula 1 championship title for the 2026 season early after finishing third at the Mexican Grand Prix.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the race. Seven-time world champion and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton finished second.
Before the Mexican Grand Prix, Antonelli led the personal standings, ahead of his teammate, British driver George Russell, by 123 points. To secure the title early, he only needed to finish ninth or higher in Mexico, even if Russell had won the race.
Antonelli debuted in Formula 1 in the 2025 season with Mercedes. In his first season, the Italian driver scored 150 points and finished seventh in the personal standings.
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli repeated the record of Jacques Villeneuve and Lewis Hamilton, becoming Formula 1 champion in only his second season in the world championship. Denny Hulme and Emerson Fittipaldi needed three seasons for this.
Andrea Kimi became the youngest Formula 1 champion in history. He is 20 years old; Vettel and Hamilton first became champions at 23, Verstappen and Alonso at 24, Michael Schumacher won his first season at 25.
Kimi Antonelli shared his emotions after becoming the Formula 1 champion for the 2026 season ahead of schedule.
"We did it, we did it! I wouldn't be here without Mercedes, without my family, so I am very grateful to them for this moment. It will stay with me forever. I have no words. I'm just trying to realize what just happened. It was an incredible season, and sharing this podium with Max and Lewis is a special moment. I look forward to new battles in the future. This weekend was more intense for me, but I'm happy with what we achieved. And now I can enjoy the rest of the season," Antonelli said on air after the race.
Overall Standings
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) — 380 points.
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) — 261 points.
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) — 259 points.
- George Russell (Mercedes) — 250 points.
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) — 245 points.
- Lando Norris (McLaren) — 221 points.
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) — 144 points.
- Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) — 107 points.
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls / Red Bull) — 83 points.
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine) — 42 points.
- Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) — 38 points.
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine) — 27 points.
- Oliver Bearman (Haas) — 23 points.
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) — 14 points.
- Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) — 13 points.
- Esteban Ocon (Haas) — 7 points.
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) — 7 points.
- Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams) — 7 points.
- Alex Albon (Williams) — 5 points.
- Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) — 1 point.
- Ryo Hirakawa (Haas) — 1 point.
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) — 0 points.
- Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) — 0 points.
- Sergio Pérez (Cadillac) — 0 points
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