Antonelli dominates US Grand Prix but must wait to clinch F1 title

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli took another major step toward becoming Formula 1's youngest world champion with a commanding victory at the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, although the Italian must wait at least another week to secure the title.

Race winner Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli of Italy celebrates on the podium after the Formula One United States Grand Prix, in Austin, Texas, the United States, Oct. 25, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

Starting from pole position, Antonelli controlled the 56-lap race at the Circuit of the Americas, making a one-stop strategy work to claim his ninth victory of the season, finishing 13 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen completed the podium in third, ahead of Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and McLaren's Lando Norris.

The result extended Antonelli's championship lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell to 123 points with five races remaining. However, Russell's eighth-place finish and Hamilton's fourth place prevented the 20-year-old from securing the title in Austin.

Antonelli, who is in only his second F1 season, could now clinch the championship at next weekend's Mexico City Grand Prix, potentially surpassing Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he became the sport's youngest world champion in 2010.

The Italian made a clean getaway from pole, while Leclerc and Verstappen battled behind him on the opening lap. Leclerc initially moved ahead of the Dutchman, only for Verstappen to reclaim second place before the end of the lap.

Their battle allowed Antonelli to establish an advantage of more than two seconds almost immediately, and the Mercedes driver steadily extended his lead as the opening stint progressed.

While most of his rivals opted for two pit stops, Antonelli made his medium tyres last before switching to the hard compound, allowing him to maintain track position and control the race without needing a second stop.

The strategy proved decisive as Ferrari and Red Bull were unable to mount a sustained challenge, with Antonelli managing his tyres effectively through the closing stages.

Behind him, Leclerc and Verstappen fought over second place, with the Ferrari driver eventually emerging ahead to claim his second consecutive runner-up finish.

Verstappen struggled with his Red Bull's performance during the race but held on to third, while Hamilton finished fourth to help Ferrari secure a strong points haul.

Russell endured a difficult afternoon in the other Mercedes, finishing eighth after struggling for pace and receiving a five-second penalty. His result effectively ended any realistic prospect of challenging Antonelli for the championship, although he remains mathematically in contention.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri finished seventh, behind Red Bull's Isack Hadjar, while Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson and Alpine's Pierre Gasly completed the top 10.

The race saw three retirements, with Haas driver Oliver Bearman, Alpine's Franco Colapinto and Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas all failing to finish.

Antonelli's victory also provided encouragement for Mercedes following an uncertain introduction to its latest upgrade package, which had initially struggled to deliver the expected performance gains at the previous two rounds in Malaysia and Singapore.

With 125 points still available over the final five races, Antonelli now needs only to avoid a substantial loss of ground to his closest rivals in Mexico to secure a historic first world championship.