Antonelli Claims US GP Win to Close in on F1 World Title
Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured his ninth victory of the season at the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, pushing the 20-year-old Mercedes driver within two points of becoming Formula One’s youngest-ever world champion. Formula One title contenders and racing teams now turn to next week’s race in Mexico as the Italian driver closes in on a historic milestone.
Delivering a dominant drive at the Circuit of the Americas, Antonelli executed a high-stakes one-stop strategy to claim victory. He currently leads the drivers’ standings with 365 points, comfortably ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell on 242 points and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton on 241 points. To secure the championship in Mexico, Antonelli requires just two points, or a top-nine finish regardless of his rivals’ results, putting him on the brink of breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record set in 2010 at 23 years and 133 days old. A title win would also make him the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
Russell finished eighth after serving an early five-second penalty, bluntly assessing his pace as insufficient for a stronger result. Hamilton pointed to setup struggles during his first two stints that hampered his car’s rotation in lower-speed corners and cost him crucial time. Damon Hill praised the young driver’s impact within the paddock, noting his rapid integration and performance within the Mercedes garage as he approaches his maiden title.
