Kimi Antonelli made history as the youngest F1 world champion, clinching his first title at age 20 after a third‑place finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix. It was only his second season, having replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025, and he eclipsed Sebastian Vettel's record of winning at 23 years and 134 days. Antonelli ended Italy’s 73‑year gap to a third champion, joining Giuseppe 'Nino' Farina (1950, Alfa Romeo) and Alberto Ascari (1952‑53, Ferrari).
After a mixed rookie year, he scored his first win at the Chinese Grand Prix in March and followed with victories in Belgium, Spain and a dramatic home‑soil triumph at the Italian Grand Prix, driving from 19th on the grid at Monza to become the first Italian winner there since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966. Max Verstappen took the Mexico City GP for Red Bull, while George Russell (Mercedes) and Lando Norris (McLaren) were also highlighted. Antonelli’s title marks the 36th different driver champion, with 18 having won only once and 17 adding further titles. The win also means Formula 1 crowned a first‑time champion in consecutive seasons after Lando Norris in 2025.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing