Kimi Antonelli just made history at the Mexican Formula One Grand Prix, clinching the F1 championship at the astounding age of 20 years old! While Antonelli was busy securing his place in the record books, it was Max Verstappen who took the checkered flag, winning the Grand Prix after a chaotic race.
Chaos on the Track, Frustration for Hamilton
The Mexican Grand Prix was a wild one, kicking off with immediate drama as a red flag came out two hours into the race, following an earlier safety car deployment. Race leader Leclerc was even hit with a penalty at one point! Amidst the pandemonium, the top three drivers after the race,Verstappen, Hamilton, and Antonelli,all agreed on the chaos of the start, gasping at the Bottas crash during highlights. Lewis Hamilton, who finished second in the race, sounded incredibly frustrated. He felt like he had the pace to win but, as he put it, “it wasn’t meant to be.” Hamilton pointed to a 10-second penalty he received for a similar move last year, stating, “We have to have some serious talks behind the team, for sure.” He added, “I’m hoping next year we have an engine to compete with (Antonelli and others),” though he did affirm, “I have 100% faith in them,” when speaking about Ferrari.
Verstappen’s Victory, Antonelli’s Emotional Win
Verstappen, despite winning the race, admitted he “was sweating at the end to try to keep Lewis behind.” But his focus quickly shifted to the new champion. After pulling in for the award ceremony, Verstappen immediately walked over to Antonelli’s family to congratulate them, then did the same for Antonelli himself. Teammate Russell also rushed over for a handshake and a hug. Verstappen couldn’t say enough about the 20-year-old phenom: “What a season he had. To do that at such an age, I think, is really impressive. I’m sure this is a very emotional day for him, and I’m very proud of him.” Antonelli, tears in his eyes as he lifted his visor, was understandably speechless. He told Nico Rosberg, “I wouldn’t be here without Mercedes, without my family. … I am speechless. I am trying to process what happened.” Sharing the podium with “two multiple-time world champions” like Max and Lewis was “truly incredible” for him. Antonelli confessed he felt “a little bit more tense” this weekend but is “so happy we got it done, and now we can enjoy the rest of the season.” The final results, pending some investigations further down the list, saw Verstappen, Hamilton, and Antonelli round out the top three, followed by Leclerc, Norris, Russell, Piastri, Colapinto, Lawson, and Gasly.
With the championship now sealed, Kimi Antonelli can truly enjoy the rest of the 2026 season as the youngest F1 world champion. What a truly incredible moment for the sport!
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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