MEXICO · FORMULA 1
Key Facts
- What happened Kimi Antonelli, 20, clinched the 2026 Formula 1 world title in Mexico City on Sunday, 1 November, by finishing third.
- Why it matters He is the youngest champion in the sport’s history, and Mercedes has its first drivers’ title since 2020.
- The numbers Antonelli has 380 points, 119 clear of Max Verstappen, with four races left. Verstappen won the race.
- What it means for you The Las Vegas Grand Prix, 19 to 21 November, is the next race on US soil. Cadillac, the American team, still has no points.
- Power Index Mexico ranks 2nd of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 71.4 points (October 2026 edition).
A 20-year-old Italian won the sport’s biggest prize on Mexican soil, on a day when Max Verstappen won the race and the stewards reshuffled the points.
Kimi Antonelli, a 20-year-old Italian driver for Mercedes, is the 2026 Formula 1 world champion. He sealed the title by finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday, 1 November.
No driver has won the championship younger. Sebastian Vettel held the record as a 23-year-old in 2010, and Antonelli beat it by about three years.
How Antonelli Clinched the Title
The Formula 1 website’s race report says Antonelli needed to finish only ninth to be champion. He did far better, crossing the line third, 4.006 seconds behind the winner.
The official standings now show Antonelli on 380 points. Verstappen of Red Bull has 261, Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari has 259, and Antonelli’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell has 250.
That is a lead of 119 points over Verstappen with four races still to run. Formula 1 declared him champion after the race.
After the race Antonelli said: “We did it.” He thanked Mercedes and his family and said he would not be there without them.
Mercedes last had a drivers’ champion in 2020, when Hamilton won his seventh title.
Verstappen Wins a Race Full of Penalties
Max Verstappen won the 71-lap race for Red Bull in 2 hours 20 minutes 28.772 seconds. Hamilton was second, 0.799 seconds behind, and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari took fourth.
Lando Norris of McLaren was fifth and Russell sixth, followed by Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls (Red Bull’s sister team), Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi, Isack Hadjar of Red Bull and Ryo Hirakawa of the American team Haas. Those are the positions in the official classification after the stewards’ decisions.
The stewards handed out a string of time penalties. Leclerc received five seconds for cutting the track on the first lap, while Russell, Oscar Piastri of McLaren and Nico Hülkenberg of Audi each received ten seconds for collisions.
Alpine’s Pierre Gasly (30 seconds) and Franco Colapinto (10 seconds) lost their points after post-race penalties for not slowing enough under yellow flags. That moved Hirakawa into the last points place.
Pérez and Cadillac at Home
Sergio Pérez, Mexico’s driver, finished 16th for Cadillac, 30.695 seconds behind the winner. His team-mate Valtteri Bottas retired on lap 42.
Cadillac is the American team that joined Formula 1 this year and uses Ferrari engines. The race was another day without points for it.
Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin both retired after five laps. Carlos Sainz was 12th for Williams, Piastri 13th for McLaren and Colapinto 15th.
In Plain English
- Clinching Winning the title with races still to run, because no rival can catch up.
- Points The winner gets 25 points and the top 10 score, so ninth place earns 2.
- Time penalty Seconds added to a driver’s finishing time after the race, which can change the order.
- Stewards The officials who judge collisions and rule breaks and decide penalties.
- Cadillac The American team that joined Formula 1 in 2026 and uses Ferrari engines.
What It Means for US Readers
The next race in the United States is the Las Vegas Grand Prix in the weekend of 19 to 21 November.
Cadillac, the American newcomer, is still waiting for its first point. A points finish in Las Vegas or at the three other races left would be its first.
Pérez, Mexico’s only driver on the grid, again finished outside the points at home. More is in our Mexico coverage and in our earlier look at how the title could be decided.
What Is Not Known
The documents of the stewards, the race officials who rule on penalties, were not reviewed. The sport’s governing body, the FIA, publishes them, so the exact wording of each penalty comes from the Formula 1 website.
Whether Mercedes will hold a celebration or change its plans before the Brazilian Grand Prix has not been announced. No attendance figure for the Mexico City weekend was found.
What Comes Next
The next race is the São Paulo Grand Prix at the Interlagos circuit, 6 to 8 November. Verstappen, Hamilton, Russell and Leclerc now race for second place in the standings.
After Brazil come Las Vegas (19 to 21 November), Qatar (27 to 29 November) and the finale in Abu Dhabi (4 to 6 December). Our earlier report on Antonelli’s win in Austin and the Mexico City qualifying shows how the weekend built up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2026 Formula 1 world championship?
Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes. He clinched the title by finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix on 1 November 2026, with four races still to run.
How old is Kimi Antonelli?
He is 20. That makes him the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, ahead of Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he won in 2010.
Who won the Mexico City Grand Prix?
Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the race. Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari was second, 0.799 seconds behind, and Antonelli was third.
Where did Sergio Pérez, known as Checo, finish in Mexico City?
Sergio Pérez finished 16th for Cadillac, 30.695 seconds behind the winner. His team-mate Valtteri Bottas retired on lap 42.
Sources: Formula 1, Mexico City race result; Formula 1, drivers’ standings; Formula 1, race report; Formula 1, Alpine penalties; Formula 1, 2026 calendar (accessed 2 November 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