Antonelli Can Win F1 Title in Mexico With Ninth-Place Finish — SkimNews
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- Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix to extend his lead to 123 points over team-mate George Russell and 124 over Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, leaving him on the brink of the title
- Antonelli can secure the 2026 F1 Drivers' Championship at the Mexico City GP by finishing ninth or higher, or if neither Russell nor Hamilton wins the race
- George Russell remains Antonelli's closest challenger, but would need to win all five remaining races and for Antonelli to score no more than two points to have any chance of overtaking him
- Lewis Hamilton is the only other driver still mathematically in contention, trailing Antonelli by 124 points ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix
- Mercedes have a theoretical chance to clinch the Constructors' Championship in Mexico by outscoring Ferrari by 39 points, though their realistic opportunity likely comes at the following race in São Paulo
- Ferrari have outscored Mercedes in each of the last three race weekends, complicating the Silver Arrows' path to a dominant weekend in Mexico
Why it matters: Antonelli can become the youngest F1 world champion in history at 20, a milestone made possible by his 123-point lead and the narrow paths still open to rivals Russell and Hamilton. The title scenario shifts pressure to Ferrari and Mercedes to maximize points differentials in a weekend where one driver could make history and the other delay a constructors' crown.
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