The race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Starting from fourth on the grid, Kimi Antonelli brought his car home in third place in Mexico. Before the start, the Italian needed just two points, and even a ninth-place finish would have secured the title. He didn't play it safe. At an altitude of over 2,200 meters above sea level, he managed to overtake Charles Leclerc and controlled the situation on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track until the very end.
Victory went to Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing. The Dutchman started from fifth position but quickly dispatched his rivals to claim the 74th win of his career. Second place went to pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton, driving for Scuderia Ferrari.
The smooth race was interrupted by a massive crash involving Valtteri Bottas. The front-left suspension on his Cadillac snapped on the straight, and the Finnish driver hit the barriers with immense force. The stewards deployed the red flag. The stoppage and subsequent restart took over 40 minutes in total, which completely disrupted the rhythm of the field.
For the Mexican fans, Sunday proved bitter. Their favorite, Sergio Perez, finished last in 17th place in his 300th career Formula 1 race. Cadillac learned a painful lesson this weekend, while Mercedes celebrated sealing the championship under the bright sun of the Mexican capital.
A historic record and the new champion's emotions
At exactly 20 years and 68 days old, Kimi Antonelli broke the record held since 2010 by Sebastian Vettel, who won his first championship at 23. The success of the driver from Bologna ended Italy's 73-year wait for a title. The last champion from the country was Alberto Ascari in 1952–1953, and only Giuseppe Farina had triumphed before him in the inaugural 1950 season. Antonelli became only the third Italian champion in the history of the sport. The young driver's record this year is impressive: in 19 races, he secured 9 victories and stood on the podium 16 times.
Tears flowed in the cockpit right after the finish line, and Peter "Bono" Bonnington offered his congratulations over the radio. The British race engineer has been working with the Italian at Mercedes for two years, and it was under his guidance that the 20-year-old reached the pinnacle. After exiting the cockpit at the Foro Sol, the champion fell into the arms of his parents, Marco and Veronica, and his younger sister, Maggie.
A moment later, a poignant scene unfolded on the podium. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton lifted the 20-year-old, draped in an Italian flag, onto their shoulders, symbolically inducting him into the pantheon of legends.
However, the new champion does not intend to follow all championship traditions. Antonelli officially announced that he will not swap his number 12 for the champion's "number 1" next season. He considers the number unlucky. The starting number 12 remains untouchable for him as a personal tribute to his greatest idol, Ayrton Senna.
Reactions from the world of sports and politics
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff called the new champion a role model for young drivers. He pointed out that Kimi Antonelli embodies humility, honesty, loyalty, and respect. In his view, the time of ruthless egoism on the track has come to an end.
Rivals on the track immediately joined in with congratulations. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton acknowledged the young driver's class, and the previous record holder, Sebastian Vettel, sent his words of appreciation in a special video message. The success also triggered an immediate reaction at the highest levels of government in Rome. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the 20-year-old's triumph as a source of national pride. Meanwhile, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali reminded everyone that Italy had been waiting for this moment for 73 years.
A true avalanche of praise, however, broke out in the world of Italian sports. The young champion was congratulated by champions from completely different disciplines: Valentino Rossi, Jannik Sinner, Matteo Berrettini, Jasmine Paolini, Sofia Goggia, Federica Brignone, Arianna Fontana, and Federica Pellegrini. Expressions of appreciation were also sent by football legends Alex Del Piero and Roberto Baggio, basketball player Danilo Gallinari, high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi, motorcyclist Marco Bezzecchi, skier Alberto Tomba, as well as Riccardo Orsolini, captain of the driver's beloved Bologna FC.
Formula 1 has gained a new face, and the Italians have a hero they haven't had since the days of Alberto Ascari.
Sources
- Przegląd Sportowy: Global stars react to the feat of the youngest F1 world champion
- Pudelek: 20-year-old Kimi Antonelli becomes F1 WORLD CHAMPION. He previously dated Czech model Eliska Babickova. What else is known about his private life?
- Zero.pl: Formula 1 has a new champion. The youngest in history
- Przegląd Sportowy: How Kimi Antonelli became world champion. Behind the scenes of the F1 sensation
Article prepared with the help of artificial intelligence based on: Przegląd Sportowy, Pudelek, Zero.pl. Facts checked automatically against these sources. The Wiadomości PRO newsroom is responsible for this publication.
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