Kimi Antonelli dominated the United States Grand Prix from pole, securing his ninth victory of the 2026 season and keeping his championship hopes alive. The Mercedes driver now needs only a strong result in Mexico to clinch the title, with rivals George Russell and Lewis Hamilton falling further behind. Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris are mathematically out of contention.
With 125 points remaining across five races, Antonelli leads Russell by 123 points and Hamilton by 124. To win the crown in Mexico, Antonelli must finish ahead of both, or see them fail to gain enough points. His superior win count gives him the edge in a tiebreaker scenario.
The 20-year-old Italian is on track to become F1’s youngest ever world champion.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing