Kimi Antonelli says he intends to "just have fun" at the United States Grand Prix as he stands on the brink of the Formula 1 World Championship. The Mercedes driver is mathematically capable of tying up the title this weekend in Austin, Texas, for the first time this year. He needs to win the race, with team-mate George Russell finishing lower than eighth and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton below fourth.
"It's crazy if you think about it, but that's why I won't think about it," Antonelli said. "Something catastrophic to others needs to happen for me to become (champion). For me, needs to be a perfect weekend." He added that the team had agreed on a simple approach with race engineer Peter Bonnington: "Just have fun." Antonelli, who has won eight out of 17 races so far this year, is 102 points clear of Russell and 111 ahead of Hamilton. If he leaves Austin 125 points ahead of any other driver, he will become champion, and at 19 would be the youngest champion in F1 history.
Rivals including Oscar Piastri, Oliver Bearman and Isack Hadjar have praised the step forward he has made in his second season after a difficult debut year in 2025. Hamilton, whose seat Antonelli took at Mercedes after the seven-time champion moved to Ferrari, said: "He doesn't need any advice. He's shown his talent and his ability, his calmness in approach. I'm so proud of him."
There are six races remaining, but doubt remains over whether the final two grands prix in Qatar and Abu Dhabi can go ahead because of conflicts in the Middle East. F1 is pressing ahead with plans, while preparing Imola in Italy as a replacement for Abu Dhabi if needed. Williams driver Carlos Sainz, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, said he was surprised by how "convinced" the sport's bosses seemed, pointing to the potential effect of US mid-term elections on 3 November.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing