Kimi Antonelli becomes Formula 1's youngest world champion in Mexico City

Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1's youngest-ever world champion on Sunday, 1 November, after finishing third at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. The 20-year-old Italian drives for Mercedes and sealed the title with four races still to run in the 2026 season.

Antonelli started the race in fourth place. He moved up the order and took the podium, scoring 15 points. That was enough to put the title out of reach of his rivals. He was 20 years and 68 days old when he won, beating the record set by Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he won his first title in 2010 with Red Bull Racing.

The season was a sharp turnaround for Antonelli. He struggled in 2025, his rookie year, under the pressure of replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. In 2026 he won nine races and finished on the podium 16 times. He had led the championship since the third round in Japan, and a run of five straight wins early in the year helped build his lead.

The result also ended a long drought for Italy. It is the first time an Italian driver has won the Formula 1 world championship in 73 years.

The celebrations were emotional. Antonelli was seen in tears on his in-lap, and he posed for a podium photo with two of the sport's most famous figures. He marked the win with his team, his family and his fans.

Brands also joined in. Several companies posted congratulatory messages and creative tributes, using the moment to reach the motorsport audience.

The contract details with Mercedes for next season have not been made public, and Mercedes has not said when it will announce its plans for 2027.