Antonelli Misses Mexico Media Day Due to Virus — SkimNews
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- Kimi Antonelli missed Thursday's media day at the Mexico City Grand Prix while recovering from a viral illness; Mercedes says he feels "under the weather" and the FIA have excused him from his mandatory media duties so he can rest ahead of the weekend.
- Sebastian Vettel's record for the youngest Formula 1 world champion stands three years above the mark Antonelli would set, with a top-nine finish in Sunday's race enough to make the 20-year-old champion.
- George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton give Antonelli a second route to the title — he is world champion even without scoring on Sunday if neither of them wins the race.
- Antonelli has won nine races in 2026 in only his second Formula 1 campaign, a turnaround from a difficult rookie season, and has consistently held the upper hand on Russell.
- Antonelli told Sky Sports F1 after winning in Austin that he wants to "finish on a high" with "high hopes" for 2027, adding that his mindset has not changed even though the title is close.
- Valtteri Bottas also missed media day after falling unwell, with Cadillac calling the absence a precautionary rest that does not affect his participation in the race weekend; Formula 2 driver Colton Herta takes his place for a fifth practice outing.
- Sergio Perez has outperformed Valtteri Bottas, whose Cadillac seat is under threat despite a multi-year contract understood to run until the end of 2027.
Why it matters: Mercedes expects Antonelli back for Friday's practice, so the illness costs him a media duty, not track time. The number that matters is 20: a top-nine finish in Sunday's race makes him the youngest world champion in F1 history, three years under Sebastian Vettel's mark, and he takes the title even without points if Hamilton and Russell do not win.
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