Kimi Antonelli makes history and becomes the youngest Formula 1 champion

The Italian Kimi Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 champion in history at the age of 20, winning the 2026 season world title on Sunday (1st) during the Mexican Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver finished the race in third place and mathematically secured the championship with four stages in advance.

The achievement places Andrea Kimi Antonelli among the great names of world motorsport. In just his second season in the sport's main category, the young Italian beat the record he belonged to the German Sebastian Vettel, champion in 2010, at the age of 23, for Red Bull.

The result also confirmed a historic season for Mercedes, which has bet on the talent of the Italian driver and now celebrates a world title won in advance.

Historic title at the GP of Mexico

The confirmation of the championship took place at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. Antonelli dropped from fourth position and presented a consistent performance, enough to secure the title.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the race, while Lewis Hamilton finished in second place. Antonelli completed the podium and celebrated the conquest of the first campeonato mundial of his career.

The Italian had to finish at least ninth to mathematically secure the title, regardless of the results of his main opponents. However, he managed to climb to the podium and confirm one of the greatest achievements in recent Formula 1 history.

Antonelli surpasses Sebastian Vettel's mark

Until then, the record for the youngest Formula 1 champion belonged to Sebastian Vettel, who won his first world title in 2010, at the age of 23.

Antonelli managed to overcome this mark with only 20 years, definitely entering the history of the competition.

The Italian also joined a group of drivers who won the first campeonato mundial before the age of 25, alongside names such as Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel.

Another impressive achievement is the speed of the conquest: Antonelli needed only two seasons in Formula 1 to reach the top of the category.

Italy wins a championship again after 73 years

The title also represents a special moment for Italian motorsport. The country had not won a campeonato mundial from drivers since 1953, when Alberto Ascari won for Ferrari.

Born in Bologna, Antonelli ends a 73-year fast and joins Ascari and Giuseppe Farina among the Italians who have already won the Formula 1 World Championship.

The young driver’s trajectory represents a new generation of international motorsport, marked by the arrival of talents increasingly early in the category.

Mercedes celebrates early conquest

Antonelli’s campaign in 2026 was marked by victories, podiums and regularity. The driver took the lead in the championship race and managed to build an advantage that made it impossible for his opponents to recover.

In addition to the title of youngest champion, the Italian established early marks related to pole positions, championship leadership and consecutive victories.

With four races remaining on the calendar, Formula 1 heads into the final straight of the season already knowing its world champion.

The achievement of Kimi Antonelli represents a new chapter for Mercedes and consolidates the Italian as one of the leading names of the new generation of motorsport.