Antonelli wins US Grand Prix in Austin, can clinch F1 title in Mexico
Kimi Antonelli won from pole in Austin ahead of Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. His ninth win of 2026 puts him 123 points clear; a top-nine finish in Mexico City next weekend makes him champion.
At a glance
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, October 25, from pole position.
- Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished second, 13.078 seconds behind, and Red Bull's Max Verstappen third; Lewis Hamilton was fourth and Lando Norris fifth.
- It was Antonelli's ninth win of the season; he leads George Russell by 123 points and Hamilton by 124.
- He did not clinch the title in Austin because Russell finished eighth and Hamilton fourth; a top-nine finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix (October 30–November 1) will seal it.
Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix in Austin on Sunday, October 25, converting pole position into a dominant victory for Mercedes and moving to the brink of the Formula 1 world championship. Charles Leclerc finished second for Ferrari and Max Verstappen third for Red Bull. The Italian teenager's ninth win of the season leaves him 123 points clear of teammate George Russell, and he will be crowned champion if he finishes in the top nine at the Mexico City Grand Prix next weekend.
Race result
| Pos | Driver | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:35:16.650 |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +13.078s |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +17.485s |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +18.515s |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +30.521s |
| 6 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull | — |
| 7 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | — |
| 8 | George Russell | Mercedes | — (incl. 5s penalty) |
| 9 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | — |
| 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | — |
Retired: Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac), Franco Colapinto (Alpine), Oliver Bearman (Haas). The race ran 56 laps at the Circuit of the Americas.
How the race was won
Antonelli started on medium tyres and made a single pit stop, then managed his hard tyres to the flag. Apart from one lock-up at Turn 12 after a tense moment with Carlos Sainz, he was never seriously threatened.
Behind him the battle was busier. Verstappen made a poor start and Leclerc passed him for second on the opening lap. Verstappen later regained the position, but Ferrari's two-stop strategy brought Leclerc back past him to secure second, with Hamilton just behind in fourth. Norris tried to run long on hard tyres but struggled with wear and finished fifth.
Russell's afternoon was costly: he received a five-second time penalty for banging wheels with Oscar Piastri and finished eighth. Bottas's car stopped on track and triggered a Virtual Safety Car, while Haas swapped Bearman and Esteban Ocon under team orders before Bearman was handed a 10-second penalty and later retired with damage.
The title maths
Antonelli needed to win in Austin with Russell ninth or lower and Hamilton outside the top four to clinch the title on Sunday. Russell's eighth place and Hamilton's fourth delayed the celebration by one week.
| Driver | Gap to leader |
|---|---|
| Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) | Leader |
| George Russell (Mercedes) | −123 points |
| Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) | −124 points |
With a maximum of 125 points left to win, a top-nine finish in Mexico City will put the championship out of reach of his rivals.
Reactions
"It was the result we needed," Antonelli said after the race, adding that "we are very close" to the title. Leclerc and Hamilton's two-stop strategy gave Ferrari a double top-four finish, while Red Bull was reported to have asked Hadjar to let Verstappen through during the race.
Why it matters
Antonelli, who joined Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton's replacement in 2025, is set to become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, beating the record Sebastian Vettel set in 2010. He would also be Italy's first drivers' champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. His dominance has restored Mercedes to the top under the new 2026 technical rules.
What happens next
The Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez runs from Friday, October 30, to Sunday, November 1. The race starts at 2pm local time — 1am Pakistan time on Monday, November 2.
Questions people are asking
Who won the 2026 US Grand Prix?
Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the 56-lap race in Austin in 1 hour 35 minutes 16.650 seconds, ahead of Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull).
Has Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 F1 championship?
Not yet. He leads by 123 points and will be crowned champion if he finishes in the top nine at the Mexico City Grand Prix next weekend.
When is the Mexico City Grand Prix 2026?
The Mexico City Grand Prix runs from October 30 to November 1 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, with the race on Sunday, November 1.
