By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Italian driver Kimi Antonelli secured his first Formula One world championship on Sunday, becoming the youngest title winner in the sport's history at 20 years and 68 days old. He clinched the crown with a third-place finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix, four rounds before the season's end.
Historic win in Mexico City
Antonelli needed only a ninth-place finish to claim the championship and navigated a chaotic race to finish third behind race winner Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The result made him the first Italian champion since 1953.
Emotional family celebration
After crossing the finish line, a tearful Antonelli radioed "we did it" and jumped from his Mercedes into the arms of his parents, Marco and his younger sister Maggie, in the Foro Sol Stadium. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff greeted him with a bear hug.
Mercedes protege fulfills destiny
Antonelli joined Mercedes as a 12-year-old and was long regarded as a generational talent. After a difficult debut season that raised doubts about his future, he stormed to the title in his second year. His father Marco, a former racing driver, thanked Mercedes for believing in his son.
Podium with legends
On the podium, Antonelli stood alongside Verstappen and Hamilton, who hold 11 world championships between them. The two veterans lifted the young Italian onto their shoulders in a symbolic passing of the torch.
