Antonelli crowned F1's youngest-ever world champion

Kimi Antonelli makes F1 history as youngest-ever world champion with maiden title

• Nate SaundersNov 1, 2026, 05:24 PM ET

Kimi Antonelli has become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, clinching his first title at 20 years old after finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Antonelli has done it in only his second year of F1, having replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025.

He is the youngest to do it by some margin -- Sebastian Vettel was the previous record holder, winning his first title in 2010 aged 23 years and 134 days.

Antonelli's title has ended Italy's 73-year wait to have a third Formula 1 world champion.

Italy claimed three of the first four drivers' championships -- Giuseppe 'Nino' Farina won the inaugural title with Alfa Romeo in 1950, before Alberto Ascari won back-to-back championships for Ferrari in 1952 and 1953.

No Italian had repeated that success until this year.

After an up-and-down rookie season, Antonelli claimed his first F1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix in March, kicking off a remarkable run of five consecutive wins which gave him a championship lead he never relinquished.

He added further victories in Belgium and Spain, either side of a stunning triumph on home soil at the Italian Grand Prix. Antonelli came from 19th on the grid to win at Monza, becoming the first Italian to win his home race since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966.

- Mexico City Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton takes first Ferrari pole, Kimi Antonelli in fifth
- Lewis Hamilton 'special' first Ferrari pole at Mexico City GP a reminder of Michael Schumacher's success
- Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari have 'big problems' after Charles Leclerc incident at Mexico City GP

Mercedes teammate George Russell had entered the season as the overwhelming championship favourite and won the opening race in Australia, but found himself increasingly overshadowed by his younger teammate as the year went on.

Antonelli's triumph means Formula 1 has crowned a first-time world champion in consecutive seasons, following McLaren's Lando Norris in 2025.

He becomes the 36th different driver to win the world championship.

Of the 35 before him, 18 have won the title once, while 17 have gone on to claim at least one more championship.