<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/mexico-city-grand-prix-kimi-antonelli-creates-history-becomes-youngest-f1-champion-23658070" rel="nofollow">Kimi Antonelli</a> became Formula One&rsquo;s youngest world champion and Italy&rsquo;s first since 1953 after finishing third behind multiple champions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in Sunday&rsquo;s Mexico City Grand Prix.
The 20-year-old Italian drove his Mercedes to his 16th podium finish of the season, displaying remarkable composure in a fiercely contested race featuring two safety cars and a red-flag stoppage.
<img title="Mercedes&rsquo;s new world champion Kimi Antonelli rides on the shoulders of four-time champ Max Verstappen (left) of Red Bull and seven-time winner Lewis Hamilton (right) of Ferrari after the Mexican GP on Sunday" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/nov/kimi-three-nov-b_1793665256_s.jpg" alt="Mercedes&rsquo;s new world champion Kimi Antonelli rides on the shoulders of four-time champ Max Verstappen (left) of Red Bull and seven-time winner Lewis Hamilton (right) of Ferrari after the Mexican GP on Sunday" width="1280" height="720" />Mercedes&rsquo;s new world champion Kimi Antonelli rides on the shoulders of &nbsp;four-time champ Max Verstappen (left) of Red Bull and seven-time winner &nbsp;Lewis Hamilton (right) of Ferrari after the Mexican GP on Sunday
&ldquo;Thank you so much, we did it,&rdquo; he said tearfully over the team radio during his slow-down lap. His race engineer, Peter Bonnington, responded: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a pleasure to be on the journey with you, but it&rsquo;s just the first chapter.&rdquo;
After thanking his family and Mercedes, Antonelli said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m so grateful for this moment, and it is one I will live forever. I&rsquo;m speechless, just trying to process what has happened. It&rsquo;s been an incredible season and to share the podium with Max and Lewis is incredible.&rdquo;
<img title="Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli negotiates a bend across the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit during the Mexican GP on Sunday. Pics/AFP" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/nov/kimi-three-nov-c_1793665299_s.jpg" alt="Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli negotiates a bend across the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit during the Mexican GP on Sunday. Pics/AFP" width="1280" height="720" />Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli negotiates a bend across the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit during the Mexican GP on Sunday. Pics/AFP
Antonelli, who clinched the title with four races remaining, admitted that the excitement of achieving his dream affected his concentration on the final lap.
&ldquo;I think I lost two seconds because I could not see ahead. I think I saw two Ferraris,&rdquo; he said with a smile. At 20 years and 68 days, he surpassed four-time champion Sebastian Vettel&rsquo;s record to become F1&rsquo;s youngest world champion. He also became Italy&rsquo;s first champion since Ferrari&rsquo;s Alberto Ascari in 1953.
In a thrilling race interrupted by a 45-minute stoppage following Valtteri Bottas&rsquo;s heavy crash in his Cadillac, Red Bull&rsquo;s Verstappen finished 0.799 seconds ahead of Hamilton&rsquo;s Ferrari. Antonelli was third, 3.207 seconds behind.
It was Verstappen&rsquo;s sixth victory in Mexico, his third of the season and the 74th of his career. Charles Leclerc finished fourth in the second Ferrari after an opening-lap tangle with teammate <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/it-feels-special-hamilton-after-winning-first-pole-for-ferrari-at-mexico-city-gp-23658042" rel="nofollow">Lewis Hamilton</a>, who started on pole.
<h2>Mercedes World Champ Kimi Antonelli&rsquo;s 2026 f1 season in numbers</h2>
20 yrs, 68 days Exact age at which he became world champ
9 No of Grand Prix victories
16 No. of podium finishes
7&nbsp; No of Pole positions
380 Total Championship points
Two No. of F1 seasons
<img title="Youngest F1 world champions" src="https://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2026/nov/kimi-three-nov-d_1793665471_s.jpg" alt="Youngest F1 world champions" />
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

Mercedes’s 20-yr-old star Antonelli’s third place finish at Mexico GP doesn’t stop him from
becoming youngest F1 champ and Italy’s first since 1953

Formula One: Kid Kimi's king! Antonelli dethrones Vettel as youngest champion

Antonelli’s five-star show! Kimi's top five races of title winning season

Mercedes’s 20-yr-old star Antonelli’s third place finish at Mexico GP doesn’t stop him from
becoming youngest F1 champ and Italy’s first since 1953; says it’s a moment he’ll cherish forever

Formula One: Kid Kimi's king! Antonelli dethrones Vettel as youngest champ

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Sports / Other Sports / Article / Formula One: Kid Kimi's king! Antonelli dethrones Vettel as youngest champ