Kimi Antonelli’s remarkable road to the F1 title - Five straight wins, a Monza masterpiece and history
Photo: Race Pictures
Ben Hunt is an award-winning motorsport journalist with over two decades of experience in Formula 1 and international media. As a former editor-in-chief and bestselling author, he delivers in-depth analysis and strategic insight from the highest level of the sport.
Kimi Antonelli has become Formula 1’s youngest world champion after securing the 2026 drivers’ title in Mexico City. Yet the foundations of his triumph were established long before the celebrations. Here's how he wrapped up the title
Mercedes provided championship-winning machinery, but Antonelli’s advantage over George Russell showed this was about more than the car.
The Italian seized control early, survived the moments that threatened to reopen the contest and delivered again when the opposition became stronger. Here is how his championship unfolded, race by race.
Australia: Russell strikes first
George Russell won the season opener ahead of Antonelli and Charles Leclerc, establishing the first advantage in Mercedes’ internal contest. Antonelli’s second place nevertheless provided a solid foundation: rather than losing significant ground immediately, he left Melbourne within striking distance of his teammate.
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Championship top three: Russell 25; Antonelli 18; Leclerc 15.
China: The breakthrough victory
Antonelli claimed his maiden Grand Prix victory, leading Russell and Lewis Hamilton home. Russell’s stronger Sprint return kept him ahead in the championship, but Antonelli had delivered the first major statement of his campaign. The gap between the Mercedes drivers narrowed to four points.
Championship top three: Russell 51; Antonelli 47; Leclerc 34.
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Japan: Taking control
A second consecutive victory moved Antonelli into the championship lead, a position he would retain throughout the run to Mexico. Oscar Piastri finished second and Leclerc third, while Russell’s fourth place allowed his teammate to turn a small deficit into a nine-point advantage.
Championship top three: Antonelli 72; Russell 63; Leclerc 49.
Miami: Different challengers, same winner
Antonelli completed a hat-trick of victories ahead of Lando Norris and Piastri. McLaren’s presence on the podium demonstrated that Mercedes did not have every leading position to itself, but Antonelli continued to maximise his opportunities. Russell finished fourth again, and the championship gap grew to 20 points.
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Championship top three: Antonelli 100; Russell 80; Leclerc 59.
Canada: A costly swing for Russell
A fourth consecutive victory brought Antonelli his biggest championship gain yet. Hamilton and Max Verstappen completed the podium, while Russell failed to score in the Grand Prix, salvaging only his Sprint points from the weekend. Antonelli’s advantage more than doubled, reaching 43 points.
Championship top three: Antonelli 131; Russell 88; Leclerc 75.
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Monaco: Five wins and a commanding lead
Antonelli’s fifth straight victory transformed an impressive start into a commanding championship position. Hamilton finished second and Isack Hadjar third, while Russell’s non-scoring race dropped him behind the Ferrari driver in the standings. Antonelli now led his nearest challenger by 66 points.
Championship top three: Antonelli 156; Hamilton 90; Russell 88.
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Barcelona-Catalunya: The winning streak ends
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Antonelli’s retirement finally gave his pursuers a substantial opening. Hamilton won ahead of Russell and Norris, cutting the championship lead to 41 points. It was the first serious interruption to Antonelli’s momentum, and a reminder that even his early dominance had not settled the contest.
Championship top three: Antonelli 156; Hamilton 115; Russell 106.
Austria: Containing the damage
Russell won ahead of Verstappen, with Antonelli third. Although his teammate gained ground, Antonelli limited the damage with a podium rather than allowing Barcelona’s disappointment to become a prolonged slump. Russell reclaimed second in the championship, but remained 40 points behind.
Championship top three: Antonelli 171; Russell 131; Hamilton 125.
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Britain: The closest the chase became
Leclerc’s victory ahead of Russell and Hamilton made Silverstone another expensive afternoon for Antonelli, who finished outside the Grand Prix points. His Sprint victory supplied eight valuable points, but his championship lead contracted to 25. This was the strongest opportunity his rivals had to turn the season back into a sustained fight.
Championship top three: Antonelli 179; Russell 154; Hamilton 147.
Belgium: The decisive response
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Antonelli answered immediately with victory at Spa, ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen. Russell failed to score, while Hamilton’s fourth place moved him back into second in the championship. Antonelli’s lead rebounded to 45 points: the pressure created at Silverstone had not produced another setback.
Championship top three: Antonelli 204; Hamilton 159; Russell 154.
Hungary: Banking points when victory was unavailable
Norris claimed his first Grand Prix victory of the season, with Verstappen second and Antonelli third. For the championship leader, the important result was another podium while Hamilton finished fifth and Russell seventh. He entered the summer break 50 points clear, showing that he could extend his advantage without winning.
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Championship top three: Antonelli 219; Hamilton 169; Russell 160.
Netherlands: McLaren wins, Antonelli benefits
Norris won again, but Antonelli’s second place ensured the reigning champion’s revival did little to threaten his overall control. Russell finished third and drew level with Hamilton on points, taking second on victory countback. Antonelli’s advantage increased to 59 points across the Sprint weekend.
Championship top three: Antonelli 242; Russell 183; Hamilton 183.
Italy: The defining home victory
Winning at Monza from 19th on the grid supplied the outstanding recovery drive of Antonelli’s campaign. Russell finished second and Verstappen third, but this was more than another points gain: Antonelli demonstrated that a compromised starting position did not have to compromise his result. His championship lead returned to 66 points.
Championship top three: Antonelli 267; Russell 201; Hamilton 191.
Spain: Another win as the challengers split the points
Antonelli followed his Monza triumph with victory at Madrid, ahead of Verstappen and Norris. Russell finished fifth, while Hamilton failed to score. With different rivals occupying the positions behind him, Antonelli stretched his advantage to 81 points and made a late championship reversal increasingly unlikely.
Championship top three: Antonelli 292; Russell 211; Hamilton 191.
Azerbaijan: Russell’s resistance
Russell won in Baku ahead of Verstappen and Hadjar, while Antonelli finished fifth. The result reduced the Mercedes drivers’ gap to 66 points, but it was a recovery rather than a transformation of the championship picture. Antonelli still collected useful points on a weekend when his teammate had the stronger result.
Championship top three: Antonelli 302; Russell 236; Hamilton 199.
Bahrain, held at Sepang: Another major step
Verstappen won the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix, but Antonelli’s second place carried greater championship significance than the identity of the winner. Russell retired, allowing the Italian to move 84 points clear. As GPblog’s analysis explained after Sepang, attention was shifting towards when Antonelli could secure the crown.
Championship top three: Antonelli 320; Russell 236; Hamilton 214.
Photo: Race Pictures
Singapore: Verstappen wins, but the lead passes 100
Verstappen swept the Sprint and Grand Prix, while Antonelli finished third in Sunday’s race behind Leclerc. His 20-point weekend contrasted sharply with Russell’s two points, taking the championship gap to 102. Red Bull’s improving form was real, but it had arrived too late to undo Antonelli’s accumulated advantage.
Championship top three: Antonelli 340; Russell 238; Hamilton 229.
United States: One hand on the trophy
Antonelli’s ninth victory of the season brought him to the brink of the title. Leclerc finished second and Verstappen third, while Hamilton’s fourth and Russell’s eighth kept the championship mathematically alive. Nevertheless, Antonelli left Austin 123 points ahead with only 125 available, a position from which two more points would guarantee the crown.
Championship top three: Antonelli 365; Russell 242; Hamilton 241.
Mexico City: The championship is secured
Antonelli completed his title-winning campaign with a third-place finish at the Mexican Grand Prix, securing the championship with four scheduled Grands Prix remaining. Mexico supplied the confirmation, but the title was built through early victories, a crucial response at Spa and consistent scoring as the chasing pack exchanged results. His defining strength was not simply winning when Mercedes was strongest, but continuing to extend his advantage even when his rivals took victory.
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