The 19th race of the 2026 season, which features 23 Grand Prix events, took place on Sunday night, November 2, at the Autódromo Hermanos RodrÃguez circuit in Mexico.
Max Verstappen delivered a strong performance to win the Mexican Grand Prix, earning 25 points and taking his season tally to 261. However, his victory was not enough to stop Antonelli, who needed just two points to secure the championship.
Antonelli, who drives for Mercedes, finished third and earned 15 points, taking his total to 380. The result secured him the 2026 Formula One title with four races still remaining.
At 20, he becomes the youngest driver in Formula One history to win the championship. His victory also ends Italy’s 73-year wait for a Formula One world champion, with Alberto Ascari being the last Italian to claim the title in 1953.
During the 2026 season, Antonelli won nine Grand Prix races in China, Japan, Miami in the United States, Canada, Monaco, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the United States.
He also finished among the top three drivers on seven occasions, while his only race retirement came at the Spanish Grand Prix in Catalonia.
Among his competitors was British driver Lewis Hamilton, who currently sits third in the championship standings. Hamilton holds the record for the most Formula One world titles, with seven, a record he shares with Michael Schumacher.
