Kimi Antonelli is on the absolute verge of becoming the youngest F1 champion ever, needing to finish ninth or higher in the Mexican Grand Prix. As we hit Lap 11 of 71, he’s sitting strong in fourth place, but man, this race is already an all-out demolition derby, and Ferrari’s internal battle is making it even crazier.
Lights Out and Immediate Drama
The lights went out, and it was pure bedlam from the jump. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton led into the first corner, but teammate Charles Leclerc was right there, challenging madly! Leclerc went way off the track trying to pull alongside Hamilton, ultimately grabbing the lead, but Hamilton’s not wrong when he radios in that his own teammate pushed him out. Max Verstappen, never one to miss an opportunity, took full advantage of that intra-Ferrari squabble, sailing right into second.
Replays confirmed the wild start: Hadjar spun out after contact, dropping all the way back to 22nd initially and then into 20th and last among the cars still competing after pitting. Colapinto, on the other hand, roared up to seventh. And through all this, Antonelli, our guy about to make history, has held firm in fourth after Verstappen jumped ahead of him and Russell had a lackluster start to fall to fifth.
Investigations and Retirements Piling Up
The drama didn’t stop after the first few laps. George Russell is already under investigation for contact with Hadjar, with the F1 graphic showing those dreaded exclamation points next to multiple top drivers. Ferrari’s got to be sweating, because if Leclerc gets penalized for his off-track excursion, they just handed control of the race to Verstappen, and he doesn’t give that back easily.
The Aston Martins? They’re already out! Alonso had to retire his car on Lap 6, and by Lap 7, Lance Stroll was asked to stop, bringing out a Virtual Safety Car. What a pity for Aston Martin, both cars gone so early. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez, in front of his home crowd, is making moves, now up to 14th. Hamilton is still asking about what actions are being taken regarding the early incidents, and he’s been assured people are looking into it. On the tire front, most drivers are on softs, but Nico Hülkenberg and, intriguingly, Max Verstappen, started on mediums.
Title Within Reach, But The Race Is Far From Over
Kimi Antonelli is still holding that crucial fourth spot on Lap 11, needing only ninth place or higher to seal his title. He’s been consistent, staying out of the absolute madness that’s erupted around him. But with investigations flying, Ferrari teammates practically crashing into each other, and half the field seemingly in some kind of trouble, anything can still happen over these next 60 laps. Is this truly the beginning of a Kimi Antonelli era? He’s so close to locking this title down, and we’re about to find out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Guardian.
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