Kimi Antonelli becomes youngest-ever Formula 1 world champion

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates with his team after clinching the world championship at the Formula One Mexico Grand Prix in Mexico City, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Italian Kimi Antonelli has become the youngest ever Formula 1 world champion with a third-place finish at the Mexican Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver is also the first Italian to take the title since 1953. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished first while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was second in a race that had been red-flagged and restarted again due to multiple crashes and an agonising 33-minute halt with 25 of the 71 laps remaining.

“I’m speechless. I’m trying to process what has just happened,” said Antonelli in comments to the crowd. “It’s been an incredible season, and to share this podium with Max and Lewis is truly incredible. And looking forward to some more battles in the future. This weekend I did feel a bit more tense, but I’m just so happy that we got it done, and now we can enjoy the rest of the season,” he added, with an Italian flag wrapped around his shoulders on the podium

Hamilton had led the way at the start of the race, having clinched his 105th pole and first since becoming a Ferrari driver. His teammate Charles LeClerc was third and the pair battled through the opening corners. Leclerc cut turn four and went across the grass as they battled for the lead, with Verstappen then taking second from Hamilton as the Ferrari looped wide.

It is tradition for the defending champions to have No.1 on their car but Antonelli said that he will stick with his racing number 12. “I’ll stay with number 12 because, obviously, it’s a very special number for me, but also it’s a way for me to stay grounded, to stay humble,” said the first Italian champion in 73 years. “I feel like by keeping number 12 it allows me to have a new point where to start and build on everything again and try to improve. And also, to be honest, I’m very superstitious, and number one has never been a good number for me. Whenever I put it (on), it went extremely badly. So one more reason to stay with number 12.”