Kimi Antonelli locked up the drivers' championship at Mexico City, becoming F1's youngest world champion at 20 and the first Italian to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953. The Mercedes driver crossed the line third behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton — his predecessor at Brackley — with enough points to seal it.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali didn't hold back. "An entire nation will celebrate," he said, calling the 73-year wait worth it and framing Antonelli as proof that "the biggest dreams can become reality." Antonelli is in just his second F1 season after replacing Hamilton in 2025, and he's already banked nine wins, including a storybook victory at Monza in front of the tifosi.
The title reshapes the grid's power structure heading into 2027. Mercedes has its first champion since Hamilton's final title with the team, and Antonelli's age means he could anchor the Silver Arrows for a decade. The youngest-ever champion record won't be easy to beat.
Read the full story at Motorsport.com
