With three races left in the Formula 1 series, the World Champion has already been named. Finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli has claimed the title of World Champion. Despite the races left to go, it is mathematically impossible for Max Verstappen, the racer in second place, to catch up.
With his nine wins in the 2026 series driving for Mercedes, Antonelli has become the youngest World Champion winner at 20 years old. Verstappen, who held the championship title from 2021–2024, earned the next most points in the competition, though that 279 point total was a distant second to the 390 points Antonelli earned to win.
Antonelli wears number 12 to honor his childhood racing idol. The number belonged to Ayrton Senna, who died in a race in 1994, before Antonelli took it over in 2021. Antonelli has often recalled in interviews how he and his dad would watch old races together while wearing Senna apparel.
Now a racer himself, in wearing Senna’s number, Antonelli has given himself a lot to live up to. This championship win, along with similar racing styles and strategies, has started him along that path.
But how did Antonelli become the youngest world champion? His nine Grand Prix wins (of a total 22 races this season), between March and October put him in the lead quickly. With 25 points a win, and nine wins, four early season wins meant that Antonelli had the lead over Verstappen fairly early.
Though it’s not possible for Antonelli to lose the championship title now, the gap between him and Verstappen could become tighter. The current 111 point lead could change, but the leader board won’t.
The final three races at Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi will happen over this month, the first in Las Vegas on Nov. 19.
