How Kimi Antonelli Won The WDC: The Youngest F1 Champion

After last night, everyone is wondering how Kimi Antonelli won the WDC so smoothly. Third place in Mexico City did it. Now, F1 has its youngest champion ever.

How Kimi Antonelli won the WDC is a story we predicted, but did not want to believe in. A 20-year-old Italian replaced Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Two seasons later, he stands as Formula 1’s youngest ever champion.

Third place in Mexico City sealed it, with four races still to run. Below, we look at the race, the records, and what comes next. Register at any of the online sportsbook sites in the UK to bet right away!

How Kimi Antonelli Won The WDC At Mexico

According to Telex, Kimi Antonelli not only won the WDC in his second year, but also became the youngest driver in history to do so. Lewis Hamilton took pole for Ferrari, with George Russell right beside him. Antonelli lined up fourth, just behind Charles Leclerc. In theory, ninth place would do. Mexico City, though, rarely offers a calm Sunday afternoon. Hamilton and Leclerc went side by side and ran wide at Turn 4. Leclerc cut across the grass and took the lead. Later, the stewards handed him a five-second penalty for it.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen slipped past Hamilton to take second. Russell’s day turned sour on the opening lap. He tapped Isack Hadjar into a spin at Turn 6. A ten-second penalty followed, and his slim hopes faded fast. Antonelli kept his head down. Instead of chasing headlines, he managed his tires and waited. By lap 38, he actually led the race by over nine seconds. He stayed out longest of anyone and pitted on lap 43. Register at Betway Sportsbook to wager on the remainder of races today!

The Youngest Driver To Claim The Title

If you watched the last season, you wouldn’t have expected how Kimi Antonelli won the WDC. According to Index, Antonelli finished third place during the Mexican GP. However, he earned just enough points to smoothly claim the WDC title. The numbers look almost silly. Antonelli won the crown aged 20 years and 68 days. Sebastian Vettel held the old record, set in Abu Dhabi in 2010. Back then, the German was 23 years and 134 days old. So the Italian beat that mark by more than three years. Think about that for a second. Most drivers his age still race in junior categories. Some of them have never even sat in a Formula 1 car. Antonelli, meanwhile, already owns a world title and nine Grand Prix wins.

After winning in Austin, he could not drink the podium champagne. Texas law simply kept the 20-year-old away from it. Toto Wolff joked that Mexico would become a tequila party. If not, he promised, caipirinhas would follow in Brazil. And thus, Italy finally has a champion again. Alberto Ascari won the last Italian title back in 1953. So a 73-year wait ended in Mexico City on Sunday. Born in Bologna in 2006, Antonelli grew up hearing about that drought. Now he has ended it in Mercedes silver rather than Ferrari red. Some tifosi will surely find that a little bittersweet.

In Awe At How Kimi Antonelli Won The WDC

Kimi Antonelli winning in 2026 was almost guaranteed. He took the championship lead in Japan, the third round. From there, he never gave it back. Rivals came and went over the summer. Verstappen found form late, stacking up podiums and two straight wins. Ferrari showed flashes of speed with Hamilton and Leclerc. Yet nobody could build a proper title charge. Russell had the same car, which makes his season tough to read. On paper, he should have pushed his teammate all year. In reality, he finished eighth in Austin and sixth in Mexico.

Helmut Marko even suggested Russell might never get a better chance. That sounds harsh, but the gap tells its own story. After Austin, Antonelli led by 123 points. Only 125 points remained on the table. In other words, the fight was over in everything but name. So yes, we saw this coming. Still, expecting something and watching it happen feels very different. Hearing a 20-year-old choke up on the radio hits hard, regardless. We suspect we’ll remember that moment for a long time.

What Is There Left To See?

We saw how Kimi Antonelli won the WDC with a third-place finish, and the title is settled, but the season is far from over. According to Formula 1, between 06 – 08 November we have Brazil, 19-21 November Las Vegas, and finally, the season ends in Qatar during 27-19 November. After a short break, Las Vegas takes over from 19 to 21 November. The night race on the Strip features long straights and chilly track temperatures. Drivers often struggle for grip there, which keeps strategy calls interesting.

Qatar follows from 27 to 29 November. Lusail punishes tyres and necks in equal measure. Finally, the season wraps up in Abu Dhabi from 4 to 6 December. Funnily enough, Vettel set his old age record at that very track. So what should fans watch? For starters, the fight for second place looks lively. Hamilton’s podium in Mexico lifted him past Russell, by our count. Verstappen also lurks close behind after a strong autumn.

Mercedes Vs Ferrari: How Kimi Antonelli Won The WDC

After the F1 Mexican GP, Kimi Antonelli came out as the winner of the WDC. But other teams are still in the race for the Constructors’ title, and of course, the 2nd place. Mercedes arrived in Mexico 133 points clear of Ferrari. Then Ferrari outscored them on the day, thanks to Hamilton and Leclerc. By our count, the gap shrank to around 126 points. With four races left, a team can still collect 172 points. Ferrari needs a small miracle, but the door remains slightly ajar. Russell knows exactly what matters to him now. After Austin, he called the Constructors’ title his main priority. Honestly, that makes sense. Runner-up spots rarely earn anyone a statue. Below them, an even tighter scrap is brewing.

Red Bull and McLaren arrived in Mexico level on points. Verstappen’s win then pushed Red Bull ahead. Norris and Piastri took fifth and seventh, which limited the damage. As a result, Red Bull sits narrowly in front for third. McLaren can no longer catch Mercedes, mathematically speaking. Still, beating Red Bull would soothe a painful title defence. These battles also carry real money. Teams earn prize funds based on their final position. So every point in Brazil and beyond matters to someone. Ferrari also has pride at stake. Hamilton joined them chasing an eighth title, remember. Watching his old team win it with his replacement must sting a bit. A strong finish would at least give Maranello some momentum for 2027. Leclerc, for his part, wants to end a frustrating year on a high.

Where To Bet On The Remaining Races?

Now you know how Kimi Antonelli won the WDC. Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren still have chances for the Constructors ‘ title. Mercedes want to wrap up the crown quickly. Ferrari hoped for a late Mercedes collapse. McLaren, meanwhile, fights Red Bull for third place. Before placing anything, pick a licensed sportsbook that covers Formula 1 properly. Look for full race markets, not just an outright winner. Good books offer podium finishes, head-to-heads, and fastest qualifier markets. Some even cover Safety Car appearances, which suit Las Vegas nicely.

Think about each track, too. Interlagos often brings rain, which shuffles the order quickly. Las Vegas rewards straight-line speed and patience on cold tyres. Qatar tends to favour whoever manages tyre wear best. Abu Dhabi, on the other hand, usually rewards the fastest qualifier. Recent form matters as well. Verstappen arrives in Brazil with plenty of confidence after Mexico. Hamilton looked sharp all weekend and nearly snatched the win. Mercedes, though, still own the quickest package on most circuits. Finally, set a budget and stick to it. Betting should stay fun, never stressful. Register at Betway Sportsbook and bet on the rest of the F1 season!

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