--- title: "Kimi Antonelli clinches the F1 title at 20 years and 68 days, the youngest champion ever" description: "Antonelli took the crown with a third place in Mexico in only his second season, and the numbers behind it show how far he beat the old age record." url: https://cars.skoop.news/kimi-antonelli-f1s-youngest-world-champion-is-crowned-in-mex-95f055/ published: 2026-11-02T03:29:44.861977-05:00 modified: 2026-11-02T03:29:44.861990-05:00 section: "Cars & EVs" publisher: "skoop.news" language: en keywords: ["Antonelli", "FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem", "Las Vegas Grand Prix", "Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez", "Chinese Grand Prix", "FIA Super License", "Italian Grand Prix", "Formula", "Interlagos", "Italy"] hashtags: ["#FIAPresidentMohammedBenSulayem", "#LasVegasGrandPrix", "#AutodromoHermanosRodriguez", "#cars", "#ev"] image: https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Concesionario_de_Mercedes-Benz%2C_M%C3%BAnich%2C_Alemania%2C_2013-03-30%2C_DD_25.JPG/1280px-Concesionario_de_Mercedes-Benz%2C_M%C3%BAnich%2C_Alemania%2C_2013-03-30%2C_DD_25.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail --- # Kimi Antonelli clinches the F1 title at 20 years and 68 days, the youngest champion ever > Antonelli took the crown with a third place in Mexico in only his second season, and the numbers behind it show how far he beat the old age record. Published 2026-11-02 · Updated 2026-11-02 · Cars & EVs, [skoop.news](https://skoop.news/) ## In brief - Kimi Antonelli was 20 years and 68 days old when he became Formula 1 World Champion, the youngest ever [[1]](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/antonelli-breaks-vettels-record-crowned-f1-world-champion-at-20/). - Antonelli sealed the title by finishing third at the Mexican Grand Prix [[3]](https://dpa-international.com/sports/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:261101-930-928918/). - Antonelli won the title in only his second season in F1, after replacing Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025 [[2]](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix). ## A record that fell by more than three years Kimi Antonelli was 20 years and 68 days old when he became Formula 1 World Champion, the youngest ever [[1]](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/antonelli-breaks-vettels-record-crowned-f1-world-champion-at-20/). For F1 fans, the sport has a new record holder and its 36th different drivers' champion [[2]](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix). The previous youngest champion was Sebastian Vettel, who won his first title in 2010 at 23 years and 134 days old [[2]](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix). Lewis Hamilton was 23 years and 300 days old when he won his first title in 2008 [[1]](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/antonelli-breaks-vettels-record-crowned-f1-world-champion-at-20/). Max Verstappen became champion in 2021 at 24 years and 73 days old [[1]](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/antonelli-breaks-vettels-record-crowned-f1-world-champion-at-20/). ## How the title was settled in Mexico Antonelli sealed the title by finishing third at the Mexican Grand Prix [[3]](https://dpa-international.com/sports/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:261101-930-928918/). He secured his maiden world title with that result at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez [[3]](https://dpa-international.com/sports/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:261101-930-928918/). Hamilton finished second in Mexico [[3]](https://dpa-international.com/sports/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:261101-930-928918/). Antonelli finished the season with 380 points, a total Verstappen could not reach even after winning the race [[3]](https://dpa-international.com/sports/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:261101-930-928918/). Verstappen moved up to second in the standings, passing Hamilton [[1]](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/antonelli-breaks-vettels-record-crowned-f1-world-champion-at-20/). ## From a first win in China to a lead he never gave up Antonelli won the title in only his second season in F1, after replacing Hamilton at Mercedes in 2025 [[2]](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix). His first F1 win came at the Chinese Grand Prix in March, and he then went on a run of five consecutive wins that gave him a lead he never gave up [[2]](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix). He also won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza after starting 19th on the grid [[2]](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix). That made him the first Italian to win his home race since Ludovico Scarfiotti in 1966 [[2]](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix). Within Mercedes, Antonelli has more race wins (9) than his teammate George Russell (8) [[4]](https://www.thedrive.com/news/kimi-antonelli-f1s-youngest-world-champion-is-crowned-in-mexico). ## What it means for Italy and for F1 Antonelli is the first Italian to be crowned world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953 [[3]](https://dpa-international.com/sports/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:261101-930-928918/). His title ended Italy's 73-year wait for a third F1 world champion [[2]](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix). F1 has now crowned a first-time world champion in consecutive seasons, following McLaren's Lando Norris in 2025 [[2]](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix). FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem admitted he did a double-take when Antonelli submitted his FIA Super License application [[4]](https://www.thedrive.com/news/kimi-antonelli-f1s-youngest-world-champion-is-crowned-in-mexico). ## What the podium said Antonelli said that sharing the podium with Verstappen and Hamilton was incredible [[3]](https://dpa-international.com/sports/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:261101-930-928918/). Verstappen said he was very proud of Antonelli and how he handled the whole season [[4]](https://www.thedrive.com/news/kimi-antonelli-f1s-youngest-world-champion-is-crowned-in-mexico). Hamilton said it was beautiful to be on the podium with Antonelli for his first World Championship [[4]](https://www.thedrive.com/news/kimi-antonelli-f1s-youngest-world-champion-is-crowned-in-mexico). ## What to watch next If you follow F1, the next race is the São Paulo GP at Interlagos on 8 November [[1]](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/antonelli-breaks-vettels-record-crowned-f1-world-champion-at-20/). The Las Vegas Grand Prix is scheduled for 21 November [[1]](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/antonelli-breaks-vettels-record-crowned-f1-world-champion-at-20/). Verstappen now sits second in the standings ahead of Hamilton, and Antonelli's 380 points are out of Verstappen's reach [[1]](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/antonelli-breaks-vettels-record-crowned-f1-world-champion-at-20/) [[3]](https://dpa-international.com/sports/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:261101-930-928918/). ## Sources 1. [Antonelli breaks Vettel’s record, crowned F1 World Champion at 20](https://www.thesouthafrican.com/motoring/motorsport/antonelli-breaks-vettels-record-crowned-f1-world-champion-at-20/) — The South African 2. [Kimi Antonelli crowned youngest F1 world champion in history - ESPN](https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50250037/kimi-antonelli-youngest-f1-world-champion-2026-mexico-city-grand-prix) — ESPN 3. ['Get in there, Kimi:' Antonelli crowned youngest F1 champion in Mexico](https://dpa-international.com/sports/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:261101-930-928918/) — Yahoo Sports 4. [Kimi Antonelli: F1’s Youngest World Champion Is Crowned in Mexico](https://www.thedrive.com/news/kimi-antonelli-f1s-youngest-world-champion-is-crowned-in-mexico) — The Drive Image: Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Concesionario_de_Mercedes-Benz,_M%C3%BAnich,_Alemania,_2013-03-30,_DD_25.JPG) --- Written from the sources above and checked twice (rules and an independent model) before publishing. How we work: https://skoop.news/how-we-work/ · Corrections: https://skoop.news/corrections/