MEXICO · FORMULA 1
Key Facts
- —What is happening Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, 25 October, starting from pole position.
- —Why it matters Antonelli, 20, leads the drivers’ standings by 123 points with five races left, so the title can be settled at the Mexico City race on Sunday, 1 November.
- —The numbers He finished 13.078 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and 17.485 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, and now has 365 points to Russell’s 242.
- —Who is who George Russell is Antonelli’s Mercedes team-mate and second in the standings; Sergio Pérez of Mexico drives for Cadillac, an American newcomer with no points this season.
- —What to watch Pérez, 19th in Austin, races at home in Mexico City on Sunday, 1 November, where Antonelli needs ninth place or better to be sure of the title.
- —Prediction markets Polymarket gives Kimi Antonelli a 99.6% chance of winning the 2026 drivers’ title (26 October, 3:45 a.m. ET).
- —Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 71.4 points (October 2026 edition).
- —What it means for you US fans can watch the Mexico City race on Sunday, 1 November, at 3 p.m. ET, and the championship could be decided there.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, 20, won in Austin and is one solid race from the Formula 1 title. Mexico’s Sergio Pérez finished 19th for Cadillac.
Kimi Antonelli, a 20-year-old Italian driver for Mercedes, won the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, 25 October. It was his ninth Grand Prix win of 2026, and it came from pole position.
He leads Mercedes team-mate George Russell by 123 points, so the title could be settled in Mexico City on Sunday, 1 November. Mexico’s Sergio Pérez, racing for the American team Cadillac, finished 19th and scored no points.
How Antonelli Won the US Grand Prix
Antonelli took pole in qualifying and kept the lead through the first corners. Mercedes gave him one pit stop, from medium to hard tyres, La Silla Rota wrote.
Verstappen and the two Ferraris ran two stops, and Leclerc passed Verstappen late to take second. La Silla Rota and Informa BTL both describe that move.
The Formula 1 results page shows Leclerc 13.078 seconds behind the winner and Verstappen 17.485 seconds behind. Lewis Hamilton was fourth, Lando Norris fifth and Isack Hadjar sixth.
Russell took a five-second penalty for leaving the track on lap one and still finished eighth. Two Virtual Safety Car periods, one for debris and one after Bottas stopped, briefly slowed the field.
How Antonelli Can Win the Title in Mexico
The Formula 1 standings show Antonelli on 365 points, Russell on 242 and Hamilton on 241. Grupo Animal counts 125 points still available in the last five races.
La Silla Rota and Informa BTL say two more points, a ninth-place finish, would make him champion in Mexico City. Under FIA rules, a tie on points goes to the driver with more wins, and Russell could reach only eight.
He did not clinch in Austin because Hamilton finished fourth and Russell eighth. He needed Hamilton fifth or lower and Russell ninth or lower, Grupo Animal explained.
The Formula 1 website lists Antonelli’s birth date as 25 August 2006, so he would be 20 on race day. Grupo Animal says he would become the youngest champion in the sport’s history, beating Sebastian Vettel’s record.
Pérez and Cadillac Struggle in Texas
Sergio Pérez finished 19th, one lap behind the winner, the last driver still running at the flag. The Formula 1 standings show him on zero points, 23rd in the championship.
Cadillac, in its first season, is last of 11 teams with no points. Team-mate Valtteri Bottas stopped after 48 laps with an engine failure, Informa BTL and Grupo Animal said.
Cadillac unveiled a Texas-themed livery for Austin on 20 October, made with General Motors’ design team, Publimetro reported. It has stars and rodeo-style patterns, with the track outline on the nose and rear.
American driver Colton Herta drove Pérez’s car in first practice on Friday, 23 October, the Formula 1 timing sheet shows. Pérez drove in the second session.
Colapinto and Bortoleto in the Race
Argentina’s Franco Colapinto retired his Alpine after 35 laps, the Formula 1 classification shows. He is 12th in the standings with 27 points, and his earlier Colapinto’s Austin qualifying is covered separately.
La Silla Rota said he spun after contact with Arvid Lindblad at the first corner. It added that Alpine later told him to stop because of a car problem.
Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto finished 13th for Audi, one lap down, the classification shows. He is 15th in the standings with 10 points.
In Plain English
- Pole position The first place on the starting grid, earned in qualifying.
- Points Winners get 25 points; the top 10 score, so ninth place earns 2.
- Clinching Winning the title with races still to run, because rivals cannot catch up.
- Cadillac The American team that joined Formula 1 in 2026 and uses Ferrari engines for now.
- Retired A driver who stops before the finish and is not classified as a finisher.
What It Means for US Readers
The race was one of three Formula 1 events in the United States this season. Miami came in May and Las Vegas follows in November.
US fans can watch Mexico City on Sunday, 1 November, at 3 p.m. ET, which is 20:00 UTC. The championship could be decided there.
Cadillac, the American newcomer, has no points after 18 of 23 races. Earlier Rio Times coverage looks at the estimated economic impact of the Mexico City race.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, bettors put Kimi Antonelli at 99.6% to win the drivers’ title at 3:45 a.m. ET on Monday, 26 October. About US$5.1 million has traded on him, and about US$205 million on the whole championship market.
Russell and Hamilton last traded at about 0.1% each, the market shows. These are bets, not polls, and they price a title that the standings still leave open on paper.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What Is Not Known
The FIA’s own race documents were not reviewed, so the classification and standings come from the Formula 1 website. Outlets differ on Pérez’s starting slot, so it is left out.
The cause of Colapinto’s retirement, including the contact with Lindblad, rests on La Silla Rota alone. No Pérez or Cadillac comment on the race was found in the sources reviewed.
No attendance figure for the Austin weekend was found. Whether Mercedes will give Russell or Antonelli any team instructions in Mexico is not known.
What Comes Next
Practice in Mexico City starts on Friday, 30 October, and qualifying is on Saturday, 31 October. The 71-lap race follows on Sunday, 1 November at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
A title there is possible, not certain, because the arithmetic also depends on where Russell finishes. The São Paulo race follows on Sunday, 8 November.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the US Grand Prix in Austin?
Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won on Sunday, 25 October, from pole position. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was second and Max Verstappen of Red Bull third.
Has Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Formula 1 title yet?
Not yet, but he leads Russell by 123 points with five races left. Mexican outlets say two more points in Mexico City would make him champion.
Where did Checo Pérez finish in Austin?
Sergio Pérez finished 19th for Cadillac, one lap behind the winner, and scored no points. He is 23rd in the standings with zero points.
When is the next Formula 1 race?
The Mexico City Grand Prix is on Sunday, 1 November, at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The race starts at 20:00 UTC, which is 3 p.m. ET.
Did Franco Colapinto finish the race?
No, the Argentine Alpine driver retired after 35 laps. He is 12th in the drivers’ standings with 27 points.
What is Cadillac in Formula 1?
Cadillac is an American team in its first Formula 1 season, using Ferrari engines for now. It has no points after 18 of 23 races.
Sources: Formula 1, United States race result; Formula 1, drivers’ standings; Formula 1, constructors’ standings; Formula 1, Kimi Antonelli profile; Formula 1, Mexico City Grand Prix; FIA, 2026 Formula 1 Regulations Section A, Article A2.1; La Silla Rota, 25 October; Grupo Animal, 25 October; Informa BTL, 25 October; Publimetro, 20 October; Polymarket price data (all accessed 26 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief