Antonelli Becomes F1's Youngest Champion, Ending Italy's 73 Year Wait

Kimi Antonelli finished third at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday, a result that locked in his Formula 1 world championship and made him the youngest driver to win the title. At 20 years old, he surpassed Sebastian Vettel, who held the previous record with a first title in 2010 at age 23 years and 134 days.

This is Antonelli's second season in the top tier. He replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for the 2025 campaign. His rookie year was inconsistent, but he found form early in 2026. He won the Chinese Grand Prix in March, starting a streak of five consecutive victories that gave him a lead in the standings he never lost.

The Italian also took wins in Belgium and Spain. His most notable performance came at the Italian Grand Prix, where he started 19th on the grid and won at Monza. That victory made him the first Italian to win his home race since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.

Antonelli's success ends a 73 year wait for Italy to produce a third Formula 1 world champion. Giuseppe 'Nino' Farina won the inaugural title in 1950 with Alfa Romeo. Alberto Ascari followed with back to back titles for Ferrari in 1952 and 1953. Antonelli is now the 36th distinct driver to win the world championship.

Mercedes teammate George Russell entered the season as the favorite and won the opening race in Australia. However, Antonelli gained momentum as the year progressed. Max Verstappen won the race in Mexico City for Red Bull, but his result did not affect the championship outcome.

The 2026 title marks the second consecutive season where a first time driver won the championship. Lando Norris claimed the title for McLaren in 2025. Of the 35 drivers who won the championship before Antonelli, 18 won exactly once. The other 17 went on to win at least one additional title.