Antonelli Enters Mexico on Brink of F1 Title

Kimi Antonelli entered the Mexican Grand Prix weekend on the brink of becoming Formula 1’s youngest world champion, holding a 123-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell and a 124-point lead over Lewis Hamilton. A ninth-place finish would clinch the title if his rivals did not win; if neither rival won, Antonelli could secure it without scoring. Antonelli had been cleared to participate after missing media duties with a viral illness, and his pole-to-win performance in Texas had strengthened his title bid. Hamilton took pole in Mexico, his first since 2023, while Oscar Piastri qualified 13th; Haas replaced Esteban Ocon with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa, who qualified 19th. Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson received one-place grid penalties after a Friday collision, and a mechanical problem for Fernando Alonso brought out a red flag in Q1.