Kimi Antonelli Becomes the Youngest Formula 1 World Champion in History

Keypoints:

• Antonelli clinched the 2026 title at the Mexico City Grand Prix by finishing third
• He is 20 years and 68 days old, breaking Sebastian Vettel's record by about three years
• He is the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953
• Max Verstappen won the race, holding off Lewis Hamilton by less than a second
• The race had a mid-race red flag, a late Safety Car and several penalties

Formula 1 has a new king, and he is only 20. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes clinched the 2026 world championship on Sunday in Mexico City, becoming the youngest champion the sport has ever seen.

Antonelli arrived needing only a ninth place finish to wrap up the title, no matter what his rivals did. He started fourth and finished third on the podium. That made him 20 years and 68 days old when he took the crown, which beats Sebastian Vettel's old record by about three years. He is also the first Italian to win the drivers' title since Alberto Ascari did it in 1953.

The race itself was wild. Max Verstappen won for Red Bull, his third victory of the season, after starting fifth on the grid. He held off Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari by just 0.8 seconds over a tense final stint. Hamilton had been right behind him over the last eight laps but could not find a way past.

The drama started on lap one, when Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Hamilton ran off the track while fighting for the lead. Leclerc got a five second penalty. Later, a heavy crash for Valtteri Bottas brought out a red flag, which closed up the field. A late Safety Car followed after another crash. Antonelli kept out of trouble through all of it. He passed Leclerc on lap 48 to take third and secure the title.

The results changed after the race too. Penalties were handed out for incidents including a collision between Oscar Piastri and Arvid Lindblad, and for yellow flag infringements for both Alpines. Leclerc finished fourth and Lando Norris fifth.

For Antonelli, it is the end of a remarkable rise. He is a teenager turned champion in his second season, and a huge milestone for Italian motorsport. Verstappen said he was very proud of the young Mercedes driver. With his first title in hand, Antonelli now becomes the man every other driver has to chase.