Just after Kimi Antonelli clinched his first title to become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were united in their assessment of the 20-year-old's achievement.

"Incredible," they both said. Coming from the two most successful champions on the current grid, the men who are first and third in the all-time list of F1 record-holders, it meant something.

That Antonelli shared the Mexico City Grand Prix podium with these two titans meant something, too.

To Antonelli, firstly, who said: "I will definitely frame the picture and put it in my house because it's just an incredible moment. And as well to see so much respect from two incredible drivers who have done the history of the sport is truly special and a moment that will live and will always be remembered."

So, too, though, for its symbolism. Antonelli seems destined to join them among the list of all-time greats of the sport, judging by the scale of his achievement this year.

"There are going to be others," said 1996 world champion Damon Hill, commentating for BBC Radio 5 live.

"I don't see anything else other than him getting better and better. He's going to have to go through hard times as well, but no one is going to doubt his incredible talent."

No one indeed. Not any more, anyway.

Antonelli's first title comes at the end of only his second season in F1. When he was drafted into Mercedes last year - to replace Hamilton, no less - there were those who said he was too inexperienced.

For some of last year, he looked it. There were flashes of promise, but by and large it was a shaky debut season, one that did not live up to Antonelli's billing as potentially the next generational talent.

So when it became clear that Mercedes would start this season with the best car, it was his team-mate George Russell, who had comfortably beaten him in 2025, who was favourite for the championship.

But that was without reckoning on the remarkable step forward Antonelli made in his development over last winter.

He finished the first race on Russell's tail. He took his maiden victory in the second, the first of five consecutive wins with which he took control of the championship. Since then, he has never looked like losing it.

Even when Mercedes' early season advantage was wiped out by their rivals, Antonelli was always there, always a factor. Which is more than can be said for Russell.

In that sense, it is important to see his achievement in context. Had the comparative performance between Russell and Antonelli carried on as it did last year, this championship may well have had a different complexion.

It could have been a season during which Russell and Hamilton were neck and neck in the title fight for most of the year - indeed, Russell has now slipped behind both Verstappen and Hamilton in the points table.

Instead, it has been a story of one driver's domination. His performances have been so strong that he has removed pretty much all jeopardy from the title fight.

That has not made it the most exciting season to watch, but it speaks volumes for the level at which Antonelli has performed. All because of the progress he has made - and his remarkable consistency.

"At his age," said Verstappen, "to be so solid, not make big mistakes, and of course also beat your experienced team-mate, he's just driven incredible, and I'm very proud of him, how he has handled himself this whole season."

Lando Norris, the outgoing world champion, was also effusive in his praise.

"It couldn't have gone to a better person," he said. "He's a genuine guy, very, very kind, and he has driven unbelievably well this year, better that what everyone was expecting of him.

"He's certainly not had an easy season in terms of his competition being incredibly high. He has gone up against the best drivers in the world, all in very good cars, and he's blown everyone away.

"I hope everyone gives him enough credit for what he's achieved this year. He's made everyone else look silly. He's driven that well and he's been able to click with his car, he's worked hard to understand how to drive this car and he's exploited it better than anyone else.

"So he should be very proud. He has achieved history and I am very, very happy for him."

For Antonelli, the difficulties of last year were formative, and critical in what he has been able to achieve this.

"The fact that some people said that I wasn't belonging to F1," he said, "or I wasn't ready for it - which at some point last year I probably looked like I wasn't - being able to experience those moments made me much more ready ahead of this year.

"Experiencing really low and difficult situations, high-pressure moments, really helped me to face certain situations this year and definitely they made me mature a lot as a driver, as a person.

"Still this year I've had moments where I could have done better, a lot better, so it's just a constant learning process.

"Last year being able to race straight into Mercedes, obviously straight under the spotlight, made me grow much faster than if I would have gone to a smaller team, for example."

One of those moments was this weekend.

He admitted after qualifying that he had been "tight", not driving as well as he could have, a result of the pressure of the moment.

"Austin, I was much more aggressive, much more present in the moment," said Antonelli, "while in Mexico, yesterday in qualifying, I was a bit more tense in a way because I also wasn't as intense in the way I was driving.

"So definitely, it hasn't been easy on that side. But now finally, we clinched it and now we can just enjoy the rest of the season."

The potency of the moment was clear to see after the race.

Antonelli admitted he was so emotional on the last lap as he followed Verstappen and Hamilton home that he was struggling to see.

"I lost probably two seconds because I was already crying basically and I couldn't see clearly ahead," he said. "I could see two Ferraris somehow with the tears.

"It was very special and a lot of memories went through my mind in that moment."

Then his father Marco and mother Veronica, who have been so important in his rise to F1, were there to greet him at the end.

Marco has been virtually ever-present this season, providing quiet support for his son whenever needed.

"To have my dad during the whole season was very important," said Antonelli, "because, first of all, he was the one keeping me grounded, especially after very high moments, but as well he was the one that was always there when I was facing a difficult situation or I wasn't feeling the best ahead of a session."

Then, in the champions' news conference, he became so emotional at one point as he remembered his late grandfather that he could not talk, and had to take a minute to compose himself.

"Oh my god," he said, after he had collected himself. "I cried way too much today. But it's good."