Kimi Antonelli wins U.S. Grand Prix in Texas, putting him on the brink of F1 championship

AUSTIN, Texas — Kimi Antonelli won the U.S. Grand Prix on Sunday with a dominant lights-to-flag drive, putting him on the brink of becoming the 2026 Formula 1 world champion.

The 20-year-old Mercedes driver fell just short of clinching the title in Texas, but he extended his already commanding lead and is on the verge of making history as F1’s youngest-ever champion in just his second season.

The Italian has an excellent opportunity to lock down the title at the Mexico City race next Sunday.

With five races to go, Antonelli sits 124 points ahead of his nearest rival with a maximum of 125 points up for grabs. The race in Austin marked his ninth victory of the season.

“It was the result we needed,” Antonelli said in a post-race interview. “We’re very close, but yeah, we trying to finish on a high and hopefully we can finish it very soon.”

Behind Antonelli, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished third. Neither is in contention for the title. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished fourth. And George Russell, also with Mercedes, finished eighth, barely staying in mathematical contention in the standings.

Even before the Austin race, Russell and…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/sports