Kimi Antonelli wins U.S. Grand Prix, moves within two points of F1 title

Antonelli wins in Austin

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 25, 2026, controlling the race from pole position for his ninth victory of the season. The 20-year-old Italian completed a lights-to-flag drive at the Circuit of the Americas, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third.

The result moved Antonelli closer to the Formula 1 drivers’ championship but did not secure it. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Ferrari, and Antonelli’s Mercedes teammate George Russell finished eighth, allowing both rivals to remain mathematically in contention.

Title race remains open

Antonelli leads the standings with 365 points, 123 ahead of Russell and 124 ahead of Hamilton. With five races and a maximum of 125 points remaining, Antonelli needs two more points to eliminate Russell and one more point to eliminate Hamilton from the title race.

A Russell victory and a ninth-place finish by Antonelli would win the title; a Hamilton victory and a tenth-place finish by Antonelli would also suffice. Antonelli would also become champion if neither rival wins the race. Even if both finish 100 points behind him after Mexico, Antonelli would remain champion because his nine victories cannot be matched over the remaining races.

Toto Wolff calls it another step

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described the victory as “another small step” during Antonelli’s cooldown. Wolff also said the team had needed the result and that Antonelli deserved it, while the driver said the car felt perfect and hoped to fight for another win in Mexico City.

The victory put Antonelli on course to become the youngest champion in Formula 1 history if he secures the title in Mexico. He is in his second season in the series and would be the first Italian to win the drivers’ championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

Mexico offers next title chance

The Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is scheduled for November 2, with ABC reporting a race start of 7 a.m. AEDT. Antonelli’s victory in Texas means the championship could be decided at the next event, although the standings remain unsettled until the Mexico City race produces its result.

Antonelli’s nine wins give him a total that neither Russell nor Hamilton can surpass over the remaining races. The title will nevertheless remain pending until the relevant Mexico City results are confirmed.