How Kimi Antonelli saw off the grid to become F1’s youngest world champion
Kimi Antonelli became Formula One's youngest world champion and Italy's first since 1953 when he finished third in Sunday's thrilling and crash-hit Mexico City Grand Prix.
Key points
- Said consensus lasted one race, by the sixth it had been turned on its head and Antonelli was squarely on his way to being champion.
- Few had doubted that the then 19-year-old Italian would prove to be strong in a car that for the first two-thirds of the season was the class of the field but for Antonelli to come out of the blocks with such verve, aggressive skill and also the judgment and at times maturity of a veteran was revelatory.….
- Mercedes driver makes history at 20 years old by exceeding all expectations in only his second season Before the 2026 season had begun there was something of a consensus within Formula One.
Beside him in what was indeed a dominant Mercedes, his teenage teammate, Kimi Antonelli, was the prodigious talent who was expected to require honing after a tricky rookie season.
Kimi Antonelli seems destined for Formula 1 greatness after winning his first world title, writes Andrew Benson.
Additional details
- Mercedes appeared to have the fastest car and George Russell was favourite for the title.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
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Every article behind this summary — 3 articles from 3 outlets
The Guardian SportNovember 2, 2026, 10:00 AM UTC →
DW NewsNovember 2, 2026, 5:01 AM UTC →
BBC SportNovember 2, 2026, 1:47 AM UTC →
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