WHAT THE TEAMS SAID – RACE DAY IN MEXICO CITY

Kimi Antonelli locked up his maiden World Championship in Mexico City, taking the title with four races to spare after a composed third-place finish. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver only needed ninth to clinch but drove beyond the minimum — managing a 40-lap stint on softs before the red flag reset the field, then picking off Leclerc at the restart when the Ferrari hit a flat-spot. Championship done in his second season, at an age that rewrites the record books.

George Russell's race unraveled from the front row. A deployment issue down the main straight cost him positions off the line, then contact with Hadjar brought a 10-second penalty that buried him in a scrap with the McLarens. He salvaged sixth, but Mercedes let him down with reliability gremlins that have plagued his season while his rookie teammate collected silverware.

The Constructors' fight stays live. Mercedes leads but hasn't sealed it, and with Russell's pace wasted on damage control, the pressure's on Antonelli to deliver points while carrying champagne weight.