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Kimi Antonelli wins F1 title at chaotic Mexican GP as 20-year-old makes history

Kimi Antonelli made history in Mexico as he sealed his status as Formula One's youngest ever world champion, while Max Verstappen won the Mexico City Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton

Kimi Antonelli has secured the Formula One title with four rounds still to go in the season
Kimi Antonelli has secured the Formula One title with four rounds still to go in the season

Kimi Antonelli etched his name into the history books in Mexico as he clinched his place as Formula One's youngest ever champion. Max Verstappen triumphed at the Mexico City Grand Prix, fending off a late surge from Lewis Hamilton, who had spent the majority of the race stuck behind Charles Leclerc before being let loose late on, only to find himself frustratingly bottled up behind the Red Bull.

Yet the occasion was all about 20-year-old Antonelli, who never truly sparkled over the weekend but hardly needed to given his commanding lead in the standings. Ninth place or higher was sufficient to secure his title and he ultimately finished on the podium.

Hamilton had started a grand prix from pole position for the first time as a Ferrari driver, but he was beaten in a first-lap battle with Leclerc. Hamilton was furious with the manner in which his team-mate overtook him, fuming over the radio: "I got pushed out by my own team-mate."

Leclerc ran wide while scrapping with the seven-time world champion and was handed a five-second penalty. As Hamilton pointedly noted, however: "He's got clean air and doesn't have to manage like the rest of us. He should just give the positions back."

F1 World Drivers Champion and third placed Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team celebrates with his family
Kimi Antonelli celebrated with his family

Hamilton had also lost ground to Max Verstappen as a consequence of Leclerc's aggressive lunge for the lead. He found himself running third with George Russell fifth, the Briton handed a 10-second time penalty for spinning Isack Hadjar round on lap one.

Antonelli sat fourth but, with neither of his two nearest title rivals leading the race, the championship was already heading his way. Hamilton had further cause for grievance as Ferrari called him in for a second pit stop after Valtteri Bottas suffered a horrific crash.

Moments later, the race was red-flagged — the barrier that the Cadillac had smashed into required extensive repairs, and the race was halted for 40 minutes in total.

It appeared to have cost Hamilton another place to Antonelli, but he was handed a lifeline when race control were compelled to use the restart order from the previous lap, meaning Hamilton retained third on the grid.

Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen won the Mexican GP

That proved absolutely crucial, as it placed him on the cleaner side of the track when the lights went out once more, allowing him to reclaim his position ahead of Leclerc.

Hamilton briefly challenged Verstappen for the lead, but the Red Bull driver had the measure of him. The Brit was the quickest man on the circuit, posting some of the fastest lap times of the entire race, yet he couldn't get close enough to the Dutchman, as the Ferraris continue to struggle with overheating when stuck behind another car for an extended period.

Verstappen held firm against Hamilton all the way to the chequered flag, but as those two F1 giants scrapped it out, the sport's newest champion was crowned. Antonelli crossed the line to claim a podium finish, a comfortable third ahead of Leclerc when all was said and done.

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