Kimi Antonelli has entered the history of Formula 1 as the youngest world champion after his brilliant performance during the Mexican Grand Prix. While Antonelli celebrated his first title, Max Verstappen prevailed over Lewis Hamilton in an intense race that kept fans glued until the end.
Verstappen took the lead during the only pit stop, which occurred on lap 28 of 71. He managed to overtake initial leader Charles Leclerc and defended his position against Hamilton to secure the victory. Antonelli, finishing in third place, showed his maturity with a controlled drive that sealed his championship triumph.
The race began with Hamilton, who occupied pole position, facing Leclerc. Both drivers battled for the top position, but it was Leclerc who managed to pass Hamilton, allowing Verstappen to sneak into second place while taking advantage of the moment. Hamilton lamented: ‘I was pushed off by my own teammate.’
In the first half of the race, Leclerc and Verstappen made their pit stops, with Verstappen changing to soft tires and Leclerc to mediums. This change allowed Verstappen to overtake Leclerc at the stop, taking the lead of the competition.
As the race progressed, Antonelli began to stand out with a solid performance. The situation became complicated for Hamilton when Leclerc was forced to defend against Lando Norris, who was closer to the Ferrari driver, who suffered a lock-up and lost time.
An incident with Arvid Lindblad that ended with a crash brought out a new safety car on lap 65, giving Hamilton one last opportunity to attempt to regain the contest. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t surpass Verstappen, who sealed his third victory of the season.
Antonelli, at just 20 years old, celebrated excitedly his title, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s previous record by three years. Leclerc finished fourth and was followed by Norris, Russell, and Piastri. The race also saw significant retirements, including Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, who suffered technical problems at the beginning of the competition.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
