Kimi Antonelli can secure the World Championship title in Austin and be crowned the youngest world champion, but the Mercedes driver wants to take it one step at a time
Kimi Antonelli could be crowned Formula 1 world champion ahead of schedule at the United States Grand Prix in Austin. The Mercedes driver heads into the race weekend with a 102-point lead over his team-mate George Russell, but does not want to be distracted by his first chance at the title. Instead of thinking about records, the 20-year-old is sticking to the approach that has taken him to the top.
However, for Antonelli to clinch his first world championship title in Texas, several factors must align: the Italian must win Sunday’s race, Russell must finish no higher than ninth, and Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari must finish no higher than fifth. It is more likely, however, that the decision will be postponed until Mexico.
“It’s definitely mad when you think about it, but that’s exactly why I’m not going to think about it,” said Antonelli on Thursday in Austin. “Something catastrophic would have to happen to the others, and I’d have to have a perfect weekend, which is rather unlikely.”
Instead, he and his race engineer Peter Bonnington have decided to stick to their current approach: “One race at a time, simply giving it our all at every race weekend, and then we’ll see. But of course: if I do my job well, the results will follow.”
From a difficult rookie year to World Championship favourite
The fact that Antonelli is already fighting for the title in only his second Formula 1 season is remarkable given the difficulties he faced in his debut year. In 2025, the Italian often lacked consistency, and mistakes gnawed at his confidence. After the summer break, he also had to endure some critical remarks from Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff.
This season, Antonelli has shown himself to be much more composed. This was already evident at the season opener in Melbourne: following a heavy crash in the third free practice session, in which he was subjected to forces of 25 g, he secured second place on the grid and also finished the race in second place behind Russell.
Antonelli attributes his progress primarily to the experience gained during his first season. “If something like what happened in Melbourne last year had happened to me, the rest of the weekend would probably have been severely affected,” he admits.
“When you gain a whole year’s experience in Formula 1 and then return the following year, you simply feel better. Things come a bit more easily because you’re no longer trying so desperately to force them.”
Mentally, too, he has found a different approach: “This year I’ve taken a step back and simply concentrated on focusing on the important things and enjoying it as much as possible. Not just the driving itself, but the whole process. Mentally, I’ve been in a much happier place this year than I was last season.”
Antonelli doesn’t want to be distracted by records
Eight Grand Prix victories have put Antonelli in a position to become world champion at the age of just 20. Should he succeed, he would be the youngest champion in Formula 1 history. The Italian would thus be three years younger than the current record-holder, Sebastian Vettel.
For Antonelli, the prospect is certainly special. However, he only intends to savour the potential success once the job is done: “It would be a dream come true, something I’ve been dreaming of since I was a child. Just finding myself in such a position is incredible,” he says. “But at the same time, I have to carry on, keep pushing, and it’s not over yet.”
His message for the upcoming races therefore remains the same: “First, we’ll try to finish the job properly, and then we can enjoy the rest. But of course, it would be an incredible achievement.”