STATS: RUSSELL SCORED AS MANY POINTS AS HULKENBERG IN LAST THREE ROUNDS

Andrea Kimi Antonelli locked down his ninth career victory in Austin and stands one step from sealing the championship on American soil. George Russell's title challenge, meanwhile, has cratered—he's scored just six points across the last three rounds, matching Nico Hulkenberg, who sits 14th in the standings. A retirement in Malaysia, a grid penalty in Singapore, and a sprint crash while leading have left Russell scrambling for scraps: eighth and ninth-place finishes don't win championships.

Antonelli's win was Italy's 52nd all-time, pulling the nation level with Australia in seventh place. Red Bull clawed back level with McLaren in the constructors' fight at 355 points apiece, though Max Verstappen is officially out of title contention for the first time since 2020. Gabriel Bortoleto earned an 80-place grid penalty—a new record—after Audi replaced multiple power unit components.

With three rounds remaining, Antonelli needs only to maintain his form. Russell needs a miracle.