Antonelli eyes historic F1 title as Mercedes eyes upgrades for Austin
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli said he is allowing himself to dream of a world championship at the upcoming Austin Grand Prix after his 14th podium in Singapore.
Kimi Antonelli, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver, expressed confidence that a historic Formula One world title is within reach at the next race in Austin, Texas, after finishing third in Singapore and widening his points gap over George Russell to 102. He acknowledged the need to maintain peak performance and avoid penalties that nearly cost him a five-second sanction. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff warned that a championship would likely need the retirement of rivals such as George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, though he admitted the title could arrive later in the season.
The team intends to field an upgraded car for both drivers in Austin, after addressing some early-season issues. Antonelli’s potential victory would make him the youngest champion ever and the first Italian champion since 1953. The outcome also depends on the unresolved status of the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races amid Middle-East tensions.
Why it matters
A title for Antonelli would reshape F1 history, making him the youngest champion and ending Italy's long drought.
How this story developed
- Oct 4 Verstappen clinches first season win at rain-delayed Bahrain GP in Malaysia
- Oct 4 Verstappen secured his first season victory at the rain‑delayed Bahrain Grand Prix.
- Oct 9 Max Verstappen secured pole for the Singapore sprint, edging George Russell by 0.120 seconds amid haze from Indonesian fires.
- Oct 11 FIA manually re‑activated the overtaking mode for 27 seconds after the oversight.
- Oct 12 Bottas finished 21st and Perez’s early wall impact caused the red flag that led to the overtaking‑mode outage.
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