Kimi Antonelli just threw down one of the most dominant performances we’ve seen all season at the United States Grand Prix, pushing himself to the absolute edge of a record-breaking world championship title. The 20-year-old Italian isn’t just winning races, he’s basically making history, and after his victory in Austin, he is in an impregnable position for the championship.
Wolff: ‘Race of a Champion Who Isn’t The Champion Yet’
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff didn’t mince words after Antonelli’s US Grand Prix win, calling it “the best he has delivered so far” and “the race of a champion who isn’t the champion yet.” Seriously, Wolff thinks this kid is “Exceptional” and even said “he’s outperformed the car.” You saw it with your own eyes: Antonelli was on “another level entirely” out there, especially when his teammate George Russell, also in an upgraded Mercedes, was toiling away and failing to pass McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, eventually finishing eighth with a five-second penalty. Coming into Austin, Antonelli knew he could clinch the title if he won, Russell finished outside the top eight, and Lewis Hamilton was outside the top four. Antonelli held up his end of the bargain with the win, but Russell’s eighth place and Hamilton’s fourth were just enough to keep the title fight alive for one more weekend.
Chill Like Nobody’s Business
You’d think being this close to a lifetime ambition would make anyone tighten up. Not Kimi. He said he’d treat Austin like any other weekend, and he wasn’t kidding. Wolff himself told BBC Sport that Antonelli was just chilling, “sits on my chair, feet up, and keeps chatting away and saying: ‘This is so funny. I’m not thinking about the championship at all.’” It’s almost surreal for the kid. Wolff thinks this pressure-free vibe isn’t just because of his huge lead, but because it’s “innate in him.” He doesn’t overthink it, and that’s pure gold. While Wolff initially said the US GP was Antonelli’s best, he did recall Monza, where Kimi won his home grand prix from 19th on the grid. Antonelli agreed Monza was “super-special” and one he’ll “remember forever,” especially coming from the back, but even he admitted the US race was better “in terms of execution” and how they built performance all weekend. And get this: Mercedes rolled into Austin with both cars running an upgraded spec that had been “unconvincing, to say the least” in its Malaysia debut. Yet Antonelli made it sing.
Mexico City Showdown
So, what’s next? The championship is practically Kimi Antonelli’s for the taking in Mexico City next weekend. His points lead is so massive, the only way he *doesn’t* win the title is if either Russell or Hamilton win the race outright. Even then, Antonelli just needs to finish ninth to guarantee the title, or tenth if it’s Hamilton who takes the checkered flag. The kid is 20 years old, on the cusp of a record-breaking championship, and looks like he’s just out for a Sunday drive. Get ready, F1 fans, because we are about to see this champion officially crowned.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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