Kimi Antonelli wins U.S. Grand Prix in Texas, putting him on the brink of F1 championship

AUSTIN, Texas — Kimi Antonelli won the U.S. Grand Prix on Sunday with a dominant lights-to-flag drive, putting him on the brink of becoming the 2026 Formula 1 world champion.The 20-year-old Mercedes driver fell just short of clinching the title in Texas, but he extended his already commanding lead and is on the verge of making history as F1’s youngest-ever champion in just his second season.The Italian has an excellent opportunity to lock down the title at the Mexico City race next Sunday.It was a masterful drive from Antonelli, who proved once again why he’s cruising to a world championship.James Sutton / LAT Images via GettyAntonelli on Sunday came closer to being the first Italian to win the world championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953. Clive Rose / GettyWith five races to go, Antonelli sits 124 points ahead of his nearest rival with a maximum of 125 points up for grabs. The race in Austin marked his ninth victory of the season.“It was the result we needed,” Antonelli said in a post-race interview. “We’re very close, but yeah, we trying to finish on a high and hopefully we can finish it very soon.”Behind Antonelli, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished third. Neither is in contention for the title. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished fourth. And George Russell, also with Mercedes, finished eighth, barely staying in mathematical contention in the standings.Even before the Austin race, Russell and Hamilton both spoke of Antonelli securing the 2026 title as a matter of when, not if.Antonelli would break a record set by 23-year-old Sebastian Vettel, who won the trophy in a title-deciding thriller at the final race of the 2010 F1 season. Antonelli was four years old at the time and joked to NBC News that he recalls playing with Hot Wheels.He would also become the first Italian to win the world championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953.F1 officials counted an attendance of 467,000 this weekend.It was a masterful drive from Antonelli, who proved once again why he’s cruising to a world championship. He started first on Sunday and sped off into the distance as Verstappen battled with the two Ferraris in the opening laps.Antonelli pitted on Lap 25 of 56 for his one and only stop to change tires. Leclerc and Verstappen both sought two-stop strategies to try and catch him, but failed to do so. Leclerc overtook Verstappen in the final stint of the race.And it was another weekend in which Russell, 28, was one step behind his younger teammate and rival when it counted. Russell qualified sixth and held that position in the opening stages of the race. But on Lap 9, Russell was given a 5-second time penalty for “leaving the track and gaining an advantage,” which cost him positions and eventually dropped him to eighth.