Andrea Kimi Antonelli has absolutely smashed it at the United States Grand Prix, bagging his ninth victory of the 2026 season and getting himself into a position where the world championship is basically his to lose. The Mercedes driver's dominant performance at COTA has left him on the absolute brink of clinching his first F1 title, and honestly, he's made it look easy out there.
More F1 news: Antonelli's Championship Bid Heats Up at Austin as Verstappen and Leclerc Hunt Him Down
Here's the thing though, Antonelli only needs a couple more points to mathematically seal the championship. That means if he finishes ninth or better in Mexico City next week, he's world champion. Just like that. He's sitting a massive 123 points clear of his Mercedes team-mate George Russell with only 125 points still on the table across the final five races. The math is done, really. Unless something goes catastrophically wrong, we're about to crown a new world champion in Mexico.
More F1 news: Austin Grid Set: Antonelli on Pole, Ferrari Hunting Recovery from Fourth and Fifth
Behind the two Mercedes drivers, things are getting spicy. Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are locked in a proper scrap for third place in the championship. Hamilton's just one point ahead of the Oracle Red Bull Racing driver, and Verstappen's refusing to go quietly. Charles Leclerc has also muscled his way into the conversation, finishing second at Austin and sitting just nine points behind Russell in the hunt for runner-up honours. Ferrari's made a statement that they're not done fighting this year.
More F1 news: Antonelli Makes Perfect Start at Austin as Championship Dream Unfolds
In the constructors' battle, Mercedes has absolutely dominated, holding a commanding 133-point advantage over Ferrari in second. Red Bull has leap-frogged McLaren into third place in the teams' championship, with both squads sitting on 355 points each. It's still plenty of racing left, but Mercedes' early momentum looks like it could be decisive by season's end. Racing Bulls continues to hold fifth position comfortably, 33 points clear of Alpine down in sixth.
Shop the collection: Max Verstappen merch • Charles Leclerc merch • Lewis Hamilton merch • George Russell merch • Kimi Antonelli merch • McLaren merch • Scuderia Ferrari merch • Red Bull Racing merch • Mercedes-AMG merch • VCARB merch
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