Antonelli wins F1 title at 20 after Mexico finish

Kimi Antonelli secured the Formula One world championship on Sunday after finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver extended his lead in the drivers' standings to 119 points, making him the youngest champion in the sport's history.

The race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was marked by extreme volatility. A high-speed crash involving Valtteri Bottas on lap 46 triggered a 33-minute red flag stoppage with 25 laps remaining. The field restarted under safety car conditions before a second stoppage occurred when Oscar Piastri and another driver collided with nine laps left.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the race for the second time this season. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, claimed second place despite starting from pole position. Hamilton had to fight through traffic and deal with a clash with teammate Charles Leclerc, who finished fourth. Lando Norris of McLaren took fifth, while Antonelli's teammate George Russell finished sixth.

The result cemented Antonelli's position at the top of the driver's table. Max Verstappen moved into second place overall, while Lewis Hamilton secured third. George Russell dropped to fourth, sitting 130 points behind the new champion. In the constructors' championship, Mercedes holds 630 points against Ferrari's 504, setting up a final showdown in Brazil next week.

Antonelli reacted with visible emotion upon crossing the finish line. His race engineer Peter Bonnington told him over the radio, 'Get in there, Kimi. Champion of the world.' Antonelli replied, 'We did it thank you so much.' He was joined in the car by his parents and sister before being surrounded by his pit crew.

The new champion broke Sebastian Vettel's record for the youngest title winner, which stood at 23 years and 134 days from 2010. Antonelli also ended a 73-year drought for Italy, with Alberto Ascari being the last Italian to claim the crown. On the podium, Antonelli wrapped an Italian flag around his shoulders and sprayed champagne as he addressed the crowd.

"I'm speechless. I'm trying to process what has just happened," Antonelli said. He noted that he felt tense during the weekend but was relieved to finish the job. "It's been an incredible season, and to share this podium with Max and Lewis is truly incredible. And looking forward to some more battles in the future."

In a post-race press conference, Antonelli explained that he backed off on the final lap because he could not see the track due to emotion. "So it was just good to bring it home," he stated. Lewis Hamilton commented on a mid-race incident with Leclerc, saying he was "pushed out by my own teammate," though a five-second penalty for Leclerc did not change the final order for the top two Ferrari drivers.