Kimi Antonelli becomes Formula 1's youngest ever world champion at 20

Kimi Antonelli has become Formula 1's youngest ever world champion, clinching the 2026 drivers' title at the Mexico City Grand Prix at the age of 20.

The Mercedes driver sealed the championship with a controlled drive to third place on Sunday, while Red Bull's Max Verstappen held off Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton to win the race. According to Autosport, Antonelli beat Sebastian Vettel's record as the sport's youngest champion by three full years.

A title won with maturity

Antonelli went into the race knowing that, with neither of his closest rivals, George Russell and Hamilton, winning, the title would be his whatever his own result. But he did not want to celebrate away from the podium. After a restart he moved past Ferrari's Charles Leclerc into third on lap 48, and held that position to the flag.

A tearful Antonelli crossed the line to take in what he had achieved. Autosport described his race as a fitting end to a "mature title winning campaign".

Verstappen wins a dramatic race

The race itself had plenty of drama. Hamilton started from pole, but was pushed wide by his own team-mate Leclerc at the start, allowing Verstappen to move into second. Leclerc was later given a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

Verstappen took the lead during the pit stops on lap 28 of 71. A red flag followed when Valtteri Bottas's Cadillac hit the wall with a suspension failure; Bottas was checked at the medical centre and released without injury. After a restart and a late safety car, Hamilton hounded Verstappen lap after lap but had to settle for second, as the Dutchman took his third win in four races.

From Bologna to the top of F1

Antonelli's rise has been remarkable. He was given a Mercedes race seat as a teenager, and in his second season has taken the biggest prize in motor sport. It is a story that has made him a favourite with fans far beyond his home city of Bologna.

The championship also has a strong British connection. The Mercedes Formula 1 team is based in Brackley, Northamptonshire, with its engines built at Brixworth, so the title is a success for hundreds of engineers and staff working in the Midlands and the wider UK motor sport industry.

What next

The season still has races to run, including in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, but the drivers' crown is settled. For Antonelli, the focus now turns to defending it in 2027.

For young drivers everywhere, including the many karting at tracks across the UK, his success is proof that age is no barrier at the very top of the sport.