Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver, emerged victorious at the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix; however, he did not secure the championship title during this race. The results of Lewis Hamilton, who finished fourth, and George Russell in eighth place, hindered Antonelli’s chances.
Despite missing out on the title, it is expected to be a formality for Antonelli, as he is on track to become the youngest world champion in F1 history. His chance at winning the championship this weekend hinged on several conditions: he needed to win the race, Hamilton must not place higher than fifth, and Russell should ideally finish ninth or lower.
Antonelli Dominates at COTA but Title Celebration Delayed
Antonelli performed excellently, starting strong and quickly distancing himself from Max Verstappen, who began the race second. He led the event with minimal exciting moments for the fans.
Questions lingered about how Hamilton and Russell would finish, and the outcome was close to what was needed for Antonelli to clinch the title — both British drivers finished just one position higher than what was favorable for him.
Charles Leclerc, who began fourth, had a commendable performance as he overtook Hadjar at the start and later passed Verstappen, securing second place on the podium.
Antonelli’s victory marked his ninth win of the season. While his title celebration is postponed, many speculate it will soon occur, possibly next week in Mexico.
Current Driver Standings:
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 365 points
George Russell (Mercedes) – 242
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 241
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 236
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 233
Lando Norris (McLaren) – 211
Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 144
Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 105
Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 77
Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 42
Arvid Linddblad (Racing Bulls) – 38
Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 27
Oliver Bearman (Haas) – 20
Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) – 10
Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) – 7
Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 7
Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 7
Alex Albon (Williams) – 5
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 3
Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) – 1
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 0
Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) – 0
Sergio Perez (Cadillac) – 0
Current Constructor Standings:
Mercedes – 607 points
Ferrari – 474
McLaren – 355
Red Bull – 355
Racing Bulls – 102
Alpine – 69
Haas – 30
Audi – 23
Williams – 12
Aston Martin – 7
Cadillac – 0
Race Highlights from the US Grand Prix
FINAL TOP 10: Antonelli, Leclerc, Verstappen, Hamilton, Norris, Hadjar, Piastri, Russell, Lawson, Gasly
TURNS 53/56 – Green flag again after a Cadillac car was removed. TURN 52/56 – Virtual Safety Car deployed due to Valtteri Bottas stopping at the track’s edge. TURN 49/56 – Charles Leclerc overtook Verstappen. TURN 49/56 – George Russell remains in eighth, unable to surpass Oscar Piastri. If he were to drop a position, Antonelli would become champion! TURN 48/56 – Norris, on old tires, is passed by Leclerc. Leclerc now aims to overtake Verstappen for second place.
TURNS 47/56 – A thrilling three-way battle for second place ensues. As Leclerc closes in, Verstappen successfully overtakes Norris. TURN 43/56 – Hamilton passes Hadjar, returning to the top five. TURN 40/56 – Leclerc has also changed tires, now in fourth. TURN 39/56 – Hamilton is sixth after a tire change, right behind Hadjar. TURN 32/56 – Verstappen pits, but a slow 3.9-second stop costs him. Antonelli takes the lead over Leclerc. TURN 30/56 – No changes at the front in recent laps. Leclerc is under two seconds behind Verstappen, with Antonelli close behind.
TURN 25/56 – Antonelli pits for his first tire change and returns to the track in fourth, just ahead of Hamilton. TURN 23/56 – Hadjar lets Verstappen through; the Dutchman complains about strategy issues. TURN 23/56 – Russell serves a 5-second penalty and returns to the track in tenth. With Hamilton fifth and Russell tenth, Antonelli would be champion! TURN 16/56 – The order is shaken by recent pit stops. TURN 14/56 – Verstappen enters the pits for a tire change. TURN 12/56 – Hamilton expresses difficulty in cornering. Russell is penalized for track limit violations. TURN 7/56 – Norris, now eighth, complains about being delayed by Piastri ahead. McLaren orders Piastri to let Norris through. TURN 3/56 – Antonelli pulls ahead by about 2.5 seconds, but still does not become champion as Hamilton and Russell are both finishing higher. TURN 1/56 – Verstappen makes a spectacular move to regain position ahead of Leclerc. Hadjar, who started strong, is now overtaken by both Ferrari drivers. TURN 1/56 – A lightning start from Antonelli leaves Verstappen behind, setting up a fierce competition ahead.
