Mexico City, Mexico, November 2, 2026: Kimi Antonelli made Formula 1 history by becoming the youngest Drivers’ World Champion after finishing third in a dramatic 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen claimed a hard-fought victory for Red Bull at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

The 20-year-old Mercedes driver secured his maiden Formula 1 world title with a podium finish in the 71-lap race, becoming the youngest driver ever to win the championship. Antonelli arrived in Mexico City needing only a ninth-place finish to guarantee the title, irrespective of the results of his closest challengers, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate George Russell.

Starting fourth on the grid, the Italian delivered a composed performance through an eventful afternoon featuring a red flag, two Safety Car interventions and several incidents. He eventually crossed the finish line in third place, behind Verstappen and Hamilton, to complete a remarkable championship-winning campaign.

At the front, Verstappen produced a determined drive to secure his third victory of the 2026 season. The Red Bull driver resisted sustained pressure from Hamilton during the closing stages to take the chequered flag just 0.799 seconds ahead of the Ferrari driver.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth after holding off a late challenge from McLaren’s Lando Norris, while Russell came home sixth. Oscar Piastri finished seventh, followed by Alpine’s Franco Colapinto, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Pierre Gasly, who completed the points-paying positions.

Verstappen takes control after opening-lap battle

Polesitter Hamilton initially made a strong getaway to lead into the first corner, but Ferrari team-mate Leclerc immediately challenged him. The Monegasque ran across the grass while attempting to complete the move, emerging ahead of Hamilton but gaining an advantage by leaving the track.

The incident allowed Verstappen, who had started fifth, to move into second place. The stewards subsequently handed Leclerc a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

Russell endured a difficult start, dropping from second to sixth before making contact with Isack Hadjar. The incident sent the Red Bull driver into a spin and earned Russell a 10-second time penalty.

Leclerc initially established a lead of more than five seconds over Verstappen, with Hamilton running third. Verstappen was the only driver among the leading group to start on medium tyres, while the others opted for the soft compound.

Piastri made progress from 12th on the grid to seventh, while Norris remained in contention towards the front.

The first round of pit stops took place around lap 28, with Leclerc switching from soft to medium tyres and Verstappen moving from medium to softs. Leclerc’s five-second penalty was added to his pit-stop time, allowing Verstappen to emerge ahead and take the lead.

Hamilton pitted a lap later, also switching to medium tyres. Meanwhile, Antonelli, Russell and Norris extended their opening stints, with Mercedes keeping its championship contender on course for the title without taking unnecessary strategic risks.

Antonelli eventually made his pit stop on lap 44, rejoining behind the leading contenders.

Red flag and Safety Car interruptions add to drama

The race took a dramatic turn when Valtteri Bottas suffered a left-front suspension failure approaching Turn 1, sending his Cadillac into the barriers. The incident initially triggered a Safety Car before race control red-flagged the event to allow barrier repairs.

Bottas was taken to the medical centre for precautionary checks but was subsequently released without injury.

After a stoppage of almost 40 minutes, the field returned to the grid for a standing restart on lap 47, with Verstappen leading Leclerc, Hamilton and Antonelli.

Hamilton made an excellent getaway to move past Leclerc and take second place. The Ferrari driver locked up into Turn 1, allowing Antonelli to close in and subsequently overtake him for third.

Hamilton then set about chasing Verstappen, remaining within striking distance of the Red Bull throughout the final stint. However, the Dutchman defended his position effectively to maintain the lead.

Leclerc, meanwhile, struggled with a flat-spotted tyre and came under increasing pressure from Norris. The McLaren driver closed the gap during the closing stages but could not find a way past the Ferrari.

Another Safety Car was deployed with eight laps remaining after contact between Piastri and Arvid Lindblad sent the Racing Bulls driver into the barriers at Turn 2.

The intervention brought the field together for a final restart, but Verstappen again made a clean getaway. Hamilton remained close but was unable to mount a decisive challenge, allowing the Red Bull driver to secure his third win of the season.

Antonelli makes Formula 1 history

While Verstappen celebrated another victory, the biggest story of the afternoon belonged to Antonelli.

The Mercedes youngster converted his fourth-place starting position into a third-place finish, comfortably meeting the minimum requirement to clinch the championship. At 20, he became the youngest Formula 1 World Champion in history, marking a major milestone in his rapidly developing career.

Hamilton’s second-place finish gave Ferrari another podium, while Leclerc and Norris completed the top five.

Russell finished sixth, ahead of Piastri, who recovered from 12th on the grid. Colapinto secured eighth for Alpine, while Lawson produced an impressive recovery drive from the pit lane to finish ninth. Gasly completed the top 10.

Gabriel Bortoleto narrowly missed out on the points in 11th for Audi, ahead of Isack Hadjar, who recovered to 12th following his opening-lap incident.

Haas’ Ryō Hirakawa made his Formula 1 race debut after a late call-up and finished 13th. Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz followed in 14th and 15th respectively.

Nico Hülkenberg finished 16th after receiving a 10-second penalty for contact with Oliver Bearman, who subsequently retired with suspension damage. Home favourite Sergio Pérez brought his Cadillac home in 17th.

Aston Martin endured a difficult afternoon, with both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso retiring after just five laps following power unit problems. Bottas, Bearman and Lindblad were also classified as retirements, while Esteban Ocon was withdrawn before the start.

For Verstappen, the victory provided a significant boost after a challenging weekend. Hamilton secured a valuable second place for Ferrari, while Leclerc added further points with fourth.

However, the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix will be remembered above all for Antonelli’s historic achievement. The Mercedes driver delivered when it mattered most, securing his maiden world title and rewriting Formula 1’s record books as its youngest-ever Drivers’ World Champion.

2026 FIA Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix – Complete Race Results

Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez | 71 laps

Retirements and non-finishers