Kimi Antonelli just missed out on clinching his first Formula 1 championship in Austin, even after he snagged his ninth win of the season from pole position at the United States Grand Prix. He was so close! But Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth and George Russell taking eighth kept the title fight alive, meaning we get at least another week of nail-biting action.
The Path to Glory (or Disaster) in Mexico
So, what exactly does Antonelli need to do to seal the deal in Mexico City next Sunday? It’s pretty straightforward: if he finishes in the top nine, he’s champion. Russell and Hamilton could do whatever they want, it wouldn’t matter. Antonelli needs to be at least 100 points clear of both his rivals after the Mexican Grand Prix. Right now, the standings have Antonelli at 365 points, Russell at 242, and Hamilton at 241. That’s a solid lead, but not insurmountable with four races left after Mexico in Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, where a maximum of 100 points are still up for grabs.
Even if Russell wins in Mexico and Antonelli somehow only finishes ninth, the gap would only shrink to exactly 100 points. Then, Russell would need to win ALL four remaining races while Antonelli scored zero points, which is a massive ask. And even then, Antonelli would still win on countback because he’s got nine Grand Prix wins this season, compared to Russell’s three. Russell could only hit a maximum of eight wins, so Antonelli’s got that tie-breaker locked up!
The Nightmare Scenario for Antonelli’s Title Hopes
But hold up, there’s still a chance for things to get wild. Antonelli can actually still win the title even if he totally bombs and fails to score any points in Mexico. How? As long as neither Russell nor Hamilton wins the race, he’s good! The only way this championship battle actually stretches out to Brazil is if Russell wins and Antonelli finishes 10th or worse, or if Hamilton wins and Antonelli finishes outside the points entirely. Can you imagine the pressure in that scenario? This young gun has the title in his sights, but those two veterans are definitely looking to mess with his plans!
All eyes are gonna be on Mexico City next Sunday. This championship race is still on, and it’s gonna be absolutely wild to see if Kimi Antonelli can finally lock it down or if Russell or Hamilton pull off an incredible upset and drag this thing out even longer!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply