Kimi Antonelli moved to the brink of becoming Formula 1's youngest-ever world champion with a superb drive to victory in the United States Grand Prix. Antonelli had an outside chance of clinching the 2026 title as early as Sunday's Austin race provided he won, Lewis Hamilton finished outside the top four and George Russell was ninth or lower.
And while he held up his side of the bargain by brilliantly claiming a ninth win of the season on a one-stop strategy to his nearest rivals' two, Hamilton took fourth and Russell eighth to stay in mathematical contention.
But Antonelli has moved 123 points clear of Russell, and 124 points clear of Hamilton, with just a maximum of 125 left to play for this season to make a coronation at next Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix all-but inevitable. Antonelli, who only turned 20 in August and is in his second season of F1, will clinch the title with four rounds to go in Mexico if he finishes anywhere in the top nine.
Antonelli won by 13 seconds with Charles Leclerc finishing a fine second for Ferrari after winning out against Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the battle of two-stop strategies. Hamilton was fourth, just a second behind Verstappen, with Lando Norris fifth on a one-stop strategy. In the other Mercedes, Russell's difficult weekend, and season, was summed up by his eighth-place finish, his race compromised by a five-second penalty for an incident with Oscar Piastri on the first lap.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing