Kimi Antonelli becomes Formula 1's youngest world champion at 20

Kimi Antonelli has become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, clinching the 2026 title with third place at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday, November 1.

The Mercedes driver was 20 years and 68 days old, breaking the record previously held by Sebastian Vettel, who won his first title at 23 in 2010. Antonelli is also the first Italian to win the drivers' championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

The race

Max Verstappen won for Red Bull, holding off Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari by less than a second, with Antonelli finishing 4.006 seconds behind the winner. Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari, Lando Norris fifth and George Russell, Antonelli's Mercedes teammate and closest title rival, sixth.

Antonelli came into the 71-lap race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez needing only ninth place to secure the title whatever his rivals did. The race was eventful, with clashes, penalties and a result that was revised several times after the finish.

A remarkable rise

Antonelli was promoted to Mercedes in 2025 as an 18-year-old to replace Lewis Hamilton, who left for Ferrari, a decision many saw as a huge gamble on an unproven teenager. After a promising rookie season, he has dominated 2026, building a lead of more than 100 points before Mexico.

Mercedes, which dominated the sport from 2014 to 2021 with Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, adapted best to the major rule changes introduced this year, which brought new engines and cars.

Italy celebrates

For Italian motor sport, the title ends a 73-year wait. Italy has the sport's most famous team in Ferrari, but no Italian driver had won the championship since Ascari's back-to-back titles in 1952 and 1953.

What's next

With the drivers' title settled, attention turns to the constructors' championship, where Mercedes leads Ferrari, and to Antonelli's chance to add more race wins before the season ends in Abu Dhabi.