There was one rather significant thing missing from Kimi Antonelli's world championship celebrations in Mexico City: the world championship trophy itself.

Despite becoming the youngest champion in Formula 1 history, the Italian will have to wait until Dec. 12 to get his hands on the prize he has spent his life chasing. That is because, unlike almost every other major sporting competition, F1 does not hand its championship trophy to the winner at the moment of victory. Instead, Antonelli will receive it while wearing a tuxedo, in a sterile hall, at the FIA's annual prize-giving gala dinner in Shanghai in December, six weeks after clinching the title.

It is one of F1's more peculiar traditions, denying the sport the sort of iconic sporting image synonymous with its biggest prizes. Think of the World Cup, the Super Bowl's Vince Lombardi Trophy or NHL's Stanley Cup, just to name three. The moment of triumph and the presentation of the trophy are inseparable. It doesn't have to be a conventional trophy, either. The Masters has turned the previous winner presenting the new winner a green blazer one of the most iconic images in all of sports.

F1's championship trophy, by contrast, seems almost an afterthought. Many fans would struggle to recognise it, which seems crazy for the series which is the pinnacle of motor racing.

It is a shame, too, because it is an impressive piece of silverware. Introduced in 1995, the trophy is made of sterling silver with gold detailing and features the signatures of Formula 1's world champions, stretching back to Giuseppe Farina in 1950.

So why wasn't it visible in Mexico City?

The answer lies in the divide between Formula 1 and its governing body, the FIA.

While F1, owned by Liberty Media, controls the commercial side of the championship, the FIA oversees its sporting and regulatory affairs. The world championship trophy falls under the FIA's jurisdiction -- Antonelli on Sunday officially became the FIA Formula 1 world champion - and its regulations stipulate that it must be presented at the governing body's annual gala.

Liberty Media has been keen to make more of the championship trophy. Sources have told ESPN discussions over a change this year did take place -- as they have for successive years now -- that the trophy be presented to Antonelli the moment he won it this year. However, as has also happened in previous seasons, it was agreed the FIA would stick with the convention of previous seasons and opt against doing anything radically different this time around.

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The FIA has long argued that presenting the trophy at its gala is important to the occasion's prestige. The event celebrates champions from across motorsport, including rallying, endurance racing and karting, with the presence of Formula 1's world champion regarded as an important attraction for the younger winners.

There is also a sporting justification, as race results can be challenged or altered after the chequered flag, potentially changing the outcome of a championship. The FIA prefers to wait until those matters are settled before handing over its biggest prize.

That argument has some merit, although less so when Antonelli has wrapped up the championship with four races still to run. It rather falls apart altogether when considering what happens at every grand prix as it is the exact opposite of the practice the FIA puts forward in that instance. Individual race trophies are handed out immediately after the finish, despite those results also being subject to protests, penalties and subsequent disqualifications. If a result changes, the trophies simply change hands.

Look no further than Sunday's race in Mexico City for an example. Antonelli was clutching his third-place Mexico City Grand Prix trophy in his hands at different points during his celebratory moments on the podium and the ceremony which followed. That despite the fact a post-race penalty or protest could have moved him down the order after the fact -- it wouldn't have stopped him being champion, but it would have meant he should not have been on the podium. And yet, he did not have the world championship trophy in his hand for that exact same reason.

There is little reason why the championship should be treated differently to an individual race, especially when the current practice stops the trophy becoming a prize that champions can share with fans in the celebratory moments.

It seems a missed opportunity for a sport which has spent the past decade transforming the way it presents itself to the world. F1 has embraced new audiences, new technology and new ways of celebrating its biggest moments, yet its most prestigious prize remains tied to an awards dinner.

Antonelli will undoubtedly enjoy getting his hands on the trophy in Shanghai. But the moment he became world champion, surrounded by his Mercedes team and thousands of celebrating fans in Mexico City, has already passed and it is a moment Formula 1 cannot recreate.