Source : @F1
MEXICO CITY — Max Verstappen took victory in an eventful Mexico City Grand Prix as Kimi Antonelli finished third to seal his maiden Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship.
Formula 1 summarised the afternoon on X: “Kimi Antonelli claimed his maiden F1 World Drivers’ Championship in Mexico City as Max Verstappen took victory,” directing followers to the full race report on formula1.com.
The 71-lap contest at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez began with Lewis Hamilton on pole for Ferrari. On the opening lap Charles Leclerc cut the track while battling Hamilton and later received a five-second penalty. Verstappen jumped into the lead in the reshuffle that followed, while George Russell was handed a 10-second penalty for spinning Isack Hadjar at Turn 6.
Order at the front remained fluid through the middle phase until Valtteri Bottas suffered a heavy crash at Turn 1 after a suspension failure. The Safety Car was deployed and the race was then red-flagged on lap 46, forcing teams to reset strategies under the stoppage.
At the standing restart Verstappen led away cleanly. Hamilton jumped Leclerc for second, and Antonelli took third from the Ferrari of Leclerc — a move that left the Mercedes driver firmly on course for the title he had come to Mexico needing only ninth place to secure.
A late Safety Car for a collision between Arvid Lindblad and Oscar Piastri, which sent Lindblad into the wall, compressed the field again. When racing resumed Verstappen held Hamilton by 0.799 seconds at the chequered flag, with Antonelli a further few seconds back in third at +4.006s.
The official classified top five read: Verstappen 2:20:28.772 (25 points), Hamilton +0.799s (18), Antonelli +4.006s (15), Leclerc +10.707s (12) and Lando Norris +11.778s (10). Russell, Liam Lawson — who started from the pit lane — Gabriel Bortoleto, Hadjar and Ryo Hirakawa completed the top 10 after post-race Alpine penalties reshaped the lower points places. Hirakawa’s tenth came on his Haas debut.
Antonelli’s third place confirmed what the mathematics had already made likely. He needed only P9 regardless of Hamilton and Russell, so a podium finish left no doubt. “We did it. And, you know, without them, I wouldn’t be here. Without Mercedes, without my family. So I’m very grateful for this moment, and it’s one that will live forever. And I just, I’m speechless. I’m trying to process what has just happened,” the new champion said.
Formula 1’s full race report is available on formula1.com. The championship now moves to the São Paulo Grand Prix, scheduled for 6–8 November 2026, where Verstappen will look to build on his Mexico win and Antonelli will race as champion for the first time. Crowds packed the stadium section as the title fight and the race win were settled in the same afternoon. Team strategies and stewards’ notes both shaped the final picture that fans saw after the flag. Team strategies and stewards’ notes both shaped the final picture that fans saw after the flag.
The original Formula 1 post can be viewed on X: https://x.com/F1/status/2117052821526712473.
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