Kimi Antonelli Needs Just Ninth for F1 Title in Mexico — SkimNews
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- Kimi Antonelli said he was “more tense than usual” and not “100 per cent” while recovering from an illness that made him miss Thursday’s media duties; he struggled for tyre confidence in Q3 and called his lap poor.
- Mexico City hosts Sunday’s Grand Prix, where Antonelli needs only a ninth-place finish to become Formula 1’s youngest world champion at 20.
- Max Verstappen’s qualifying penalty means Antonelli, who qualified fifth, will start fourth on the grid.
- Lewis Hamilton took pole, while Antonelli’s best qualifying lap finished within two tenths despite his admitted lack of tyre confidence.
- George Russell qualified second, only marginally behind Hamilton, after beginning the year as the clear title favourite; Antonelli comprehensively outperformed him in his second season.
- Lando Norris said he was “more than happy” to pass his No. 1 position to Antonelli, praising his season as “incredible” and calling a youngest-champion handover “insane.”
Why it matters: Norris has explicitly said he is happy to pass his No. 1 position to Antonelli, so the title handover already has the outgoing leader’s support. Antonelli needs only ninth to become F1’s youngest champion at 20, but starts fourth while recovering from illness and after a Q3 he described as poor.
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