By Sohaib Shams
Italian driver Kimi Antonelli clinched the Formula One world championship with a third-place finish at the Mexican Grand Prix, becoming the sport's youngest title winner at 20 years and 68 days.
The Mercedes driver needed only ninth place to secure the crown but finished on the podium, ending a 73-year wait for an Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
Record-breaking achievement
Antonelli surpassed Sebastian Vettel's previous youngest champion record by three years and 65 days. Lewis Hamilton, whom Antonelli replaced at Mercedes, was three years and 39 days older when he won his first title.
Race drama in Mexico City
Max Verstappen claimed his sixth Mexican victory, holding off Hamilton at a second race start after a red flag. Hamilton had started from pole but clashed with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc on the opening lap, while George Russell received a 10-second penalty for colliding with Isack Hadjar. Antonelli stayed clear of the chaos, overtook Leclerc for third, and navigated a safety-car restart to cross the finish line as champion.
The race was halted for 33 minutes after Valtteri Bottas crashed due to suspension failure. At the restart, Antonelli made a decisive pass on Leclerc, an overtake described as fitting of a world champion. He then managed the final laps under safety-car conditions to seal the title with four rounds remaining.
Antonelli arrived at the circuit with his sister Maggie and parents Veronica and Marco, celebrating with engineer Pete Bonnington before the start. The victory caps a remarkable turnaround from a difficult debut season, during which he won five races after his maiden victory in China.
