Antonelli becomes youngest F1 champion as Mexico penalties reshape standings

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli clinched the Formula 1 title with third place at the Mexico City Grand Prix, becoming the sport’s youngest champion. Max Verstappen’s victory lifted him to second in the standings, ahead of Lewis Hamilton, while George Russell dropped to fourth.

Antonelli has 380 points, 119 more than Verstappen’s 261. He is the 36th driver to win the title and the first Italian champion in 73 years.

Post-race penalties reshaped the order. Oscar Piastri crossed the line seventh. He said Lindblad moved too much under braking, but the stewards reached a different conclusion and gave Piastri a 10-second penalty for causing a collision. Two post-race standings reports gave different revised places—P16 and P15—while the FIA’s final classification lists him 13th. The penalty cost him six points, leaving him on 144, 77 points behind McLaren team-mate Lando Norris.

Both Alpine drivers were penalised for yellow-flag infringements. Pierre Gasly fell from ninth to P17, while Franco Colapinto dropped from an inherited seventh to P15.

F1 debutant Ryo Hirakawa joined Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar among the points scorers, moving up the championship standings.