KIMI Antonelli is on the verge of conquering Formula 1, with the Mercedes prodigy now within touching distance of a historic maiden world title after a dominant United States Grand Prix victory.
The 20-year-old Italian tightened his grip on the Drivers’ Championship with his ninth Grand Prix win of the 2026 season at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, leaving him just two points away from becoming the youngest world champion in F1 history.
READ: Kimi Antonelli grabs US GP pole as maiden F1 title within reach
Starting from pole, Antonelli made a strong getaway to seize control early and never looked back, with Mercedes' decision to commit to a one-stop strategy proving decisive against rivals who made two pit stops.
Antonelli crossed the finish line 13.078 seconds clear of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen settling for third after an intense battle with the Ferrari driver.
“It was the result we needed. The whole team deserves it so much. All this time putting in so much work on bringing this new package and finally seeing the result is very pleasant," Antonelli said.
Despite his commanding performance, Antonelli fell just short of clinching the championship this weekend, as Lewis Hamilton finished fourth for Ferrari and Mercedes teammate George Russell settled for eighth.
Antonelli needed Hamilton to finish fifth or lower and Russell ninth or lower to seal the title in Austin, but both rivals were able to stay clear of the results he needed.
Antonelli now holds a 123-point lead over Russell and a 124-point advantage over Hamilton, leaving both rivals with only a mathematical chance of denying him the crown.
Two points away
The championship could be settled as early as next weekend's Mexico City Grand Prix, where Antonelli needs just a ninth-place finish to guarantee the title, regardless of Russell's result.
With the biggest prize of his young career within reach, Antonelli is determined to maintain his momentum rather than get carried away by the prospect of making history.
“We're very close, but we'll try to finish on a high and hopefully we can clinch it very soon,” he said.
Antonelli also expressed his desire to seal the championship with a performance worthy of his breakthrough campaign, while making the most of what could be a defining stretch in his career.
“I'm very excited. I would love to clinch the title in style with a great result. I'm just going to try to enjoy every moment because they're moments that will always be remembered.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
