Antonelli needs a perfect weekend and rival setbacks to clinch in Austin

Kimi Antonelli has his first opportunity to clinch the Formula 1 title at Sunday's United States Grand Prix in Austin. The Mercedes driver said on Thursday that winning his maiden title “would be a dream”, but would require a perfect weekend and poor results from his rivals—a combination he considers unlikely.

Antonelli must win, and George Russell must finish ninth or worse. RacingNews365 says Lewis Hamilton must finish fourth or worse, while the BBC says fifth or worse. Formula 1's preview gives no exact cut-offs, saying Hamilton and Max Verstappen would need to finish down the order; Verstappen is not named in the BBC's listed conditions.

Antonelli said he and race engineer Bono had agreed to keep the same mindset he has carried through the season: have fun, focus on one race at a time and do his best. He stressed that the championship was “not over yet”.

After 17 Grands Prix in 2026, Antonelli has eight wins and six further podiums. A title at 20 would make him the youngest driver to win a maiden F1 championship, surpassing Sebastian Vettel's 2010 record.