2026 Mexico City Grand Prix Highlights: Kimi Antonelli Clinches Maiden Title as Max Verstappen Denies Ferrari Victory

Antonelli Writes History as Formula 1’s Youngest World Champion

Kimi Antonelli etched his name into the motorsport history books during an eventful 71-lap Mexico City Grand Prix, securing his maiden Drivers’ Championship in his sophomore Formula 1 campaign. Entering the race needing only a ninth-place finish to guarantee the title regardless of where George Russell or Lewis Hamilton ended up, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver delivered a calculated, mature performance from fourth on the grid.

The Italian bided his time in the opening stint behind the scrapping Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Hamilton, alongside Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Mercedes initially left Antonelli on track hoping to capitalise on an intervention, which materialized just one lap after his pit stop. Following barrier repairs for a crash involving the Cadillac of Valtteri Bottas, the Safety Car was escalated to a red flag. On the subsequent standing restart, Antonelli maintained composure from P4, cleanly dispatching Leclerc into Turn 1 before managing the pace behind the leading pair to claim the final step on the podium.

Antonelli was overwhelmed with emotion upon securing the title, reflecting on the milestone achieved with his team and family. “Without them, I wouldn’t be here – without Mercedes, without my family,” said Antonelli. “So I’m very grateful for this moment, and it’s one that will live forever. I’m speechless. I’m trying to process what has just happened. “It’s been an incredible season, and to share this podium with Max and Lewis is truly incredible.”

Ferrari Civil War Hand Verstappen Mexico City Victory

While Antonelli celebrated championship glory, the battle for race victory descended into controversy for Scuderia Ferrari. Hamilton had started from his first pole position for the Italian outfit, fending off team mate Leclerc on the long drag to Turn 1. However, Leclerc attacked around the outside into Turn 4, running across the grass to seize the lead while forcing Hamilton wide and allowing Verstappen into second place.

Stewards issued Leclerc a five-second penalty for the incident. When the leading cars pitted under neutralised conditions, the penalty dropped Leclerc behind Verstappen. Hamilton cleared his team mate at the standing restart and relentlessly pressured Verstappen through a late Safety Car period triggered by a collision between Arvid Lindblad and Oscar Piastri. Despite the late charge, Verstappen crossed the line just 0.7 seconds ahead of Hamilton to take his sixth Mexico City Grand Prix win.

The internal conflict at Ferrari drew immediate condemnation from Team Principal Fred Vasseur, who made his feelings clear to Canal+: “I’m having trouble swallowing it. It’s a lack of respect for all the people who work. Wasting a victory is hard. It’s stuck in my throat. They’re not racing for themselves. We’re going to clear all this up.”

Russell Frustrated by Technical Woes as Hirakawa Shines on Debut

On the opposite side of the Mercedes garage, George Russell experienced a bitter race. Starting from second, the British driver suffered energy deployment issues off the line, losing four positions immediately. Russell’s afternoon worsened when contact with Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar at Turn 6 yielded a 10-second time penalty, restricting him to a sixth-place finish.

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff conceded that the team compromised Russell’s grand prix, telling Sky Sports F1: “I believe he was racing for the victory here and then came in this lack of energy and ruined his race,” before noting the psychological challenge of the title fight: “We have two drivers, we don’t have one. The car just didn’t work for him this year. And then misfortune like today, we just have to sort it out for him.”

Down the order, Haas reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa produced one of the drives of the weekend. Called up to substitute for Esteban Ocon after second practice, the Japanese driver qualified 19th amid traffic before delivering an error-free race. Managing multiple standing restarts and tricky circuit conditions, Hirakawa took full advantage of post-race time penalties handed to rivals ahead, moving from P13 to 10th to claim a championship point on debut.

Describing the weekend as a “dream”, Hirakawa explained his progress through the chaotic race: “I was trying to learn from what others were doing, and maybe the first stint was tough, but I learned a lot,” he divulged. “After the Safety Car, with the soft compound, I had more confidence and, after the last one, I had much more confidence and passed two cars, so I’m happy to finish like that.” Haas’s joy was tempered by Ollie Bearman’s race ending prematurely after he sustained race-ending damage from a collision caused by Nico Hulkenberg.

Why This Matters

Kimi Antonelli’s title triumph cements a major generational transition in Formula 1. By claiming the Drivers’ Championship in just his second season at age 20, he shatters previous age records and becomes the first Italian champion in over seven decades, ending a drought that stood since Alberto Ascari’s 1953 campaign with Ferrari.

Meanwhile, the championship table behind Antonelli remains fiercely contested. Max Verstappen’s charge—winning three of the last four races and securing 149 points—has vaulted the Red Bull driver to second place in the standings, two points clear of Lewis Hamilton, while George Russell has dropped to fourth. With Ferrari’s internal dynamics under public strain following the Turn 4 incident between Hamilton and Leclerc, the remaining races will test team management while the fight for runner-up honours intensifies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Kimi Antonelli win the Formula 1 World Championship in Mexico?

Kimi Antonelli required a ninth-place finish or better to mathematically seal the title, irrespective of where his competitors finished. By starting fourth, avoiding incidents, passing Charles Leclerc after the red flag restart, and crossing the finish line in third place, Antonelli earned sufficient points to guarantee his maiden Drivers’ Championship.

What happened between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Turn 4?

Starting from pole, Lewis Hamilton led through the opening sequence of corners before Charles Leclerc launched an attack around the outside of Turn 4. Both cars ran off the track, and Leclerc bypassed the corner across the grass to take the lead. Stewards assessed Leclerc a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, which compromised his race strategy and dropped him behind Max Verstappen during the pit stops.

Why was Ryo Hirakawa driving for Haas in the Mexico City Grand Prix?

Ryo Hirakawa was initially scheduled only to drive during Free Practice 1. However, Haas chose to replace Esteban Ocon after Free Practice 2, prompting the team to promote Hirakawa into the race seat for the remainder of the weekend. Despite starting 19th, Hirakawa avoided trouble and climbed to 10th following post-race penalties, scoring a point on his debut.