According to Varzesh 3 and Tasnim, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, with a dominant victory at the United States Grand Prix, took another step closer to his maiden Formula 1 world championship in 2026. The Italian Mercedes driver, who started the race from pole position, is on the verge of setting a historic record by securing his ninth win of the season.

Antonelli took first place on Sunday at the US Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, but due to the results of his Mercedes teammate George Russell and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton, he could not clinch the title right in this race. Russell finished eighth and Hamilton crossed the finish line in fourth place; results that postponed the championship decision to the Mexican Grand Prix.

With these results, Antonelli leads the drivers' standings with a 123-point lead over Russell and a 124-point advantage over Hamilton. Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, and McLaren's Lando Norris were also mathematically eliminated from the championship race following their results in America.

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Currently, 125 points remain up for grabs across the remaining five races of the season. After the Mexican Grand Prix, which will be held next Sunday at the Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit, four more races will remain in Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi; although the staging of the final two races in the Middle East depends on regional conditions.

To secure the championship, Antonelli normally needs to finish at least ninth in Mexico and score 2 points. Even if Russell wins the race, this result will be enough for the Italian driver. If Hamilton takes the victory, Antonelli can also seal the championship by scoring at least one point and finishing tenth.

Should Russell and Hamilton fail to win the Mexican Grand Prix, Antonelli will be crowned champion regardless of his own finish in the race. He holds the tie-breaker advantage in points due to having more victories in the current season.

Should he win the title, the 20-year-old Antonelli will become the youngest champion in Formula 1 history, surpassing the record set by Sebastian Vettel, who achieved his first world title in 2010 at the age of 23. He will also become the first Italian driver to win the F1 World Championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

Source: Varzesh 3