Antonelli caught completely off guard by post-Singapore GP discovery: 'Really?!'

Speaking right after the Singapore Grand Prix, the Italian appeared unaware that he could already wrap up the championship at the next race. When Button pointed out the possibility, Antonelli reacted with disbelief before quickly turning his attention back to his immediate priorities.

The response reflected Antonelli's determination to remain focused on individual race weekends, despite moving closer to what would be a remarkable feat.

Antonelli's podium at Marina Bay came at the end of a challenging weekend for Mercedes, with the team's latest upgrade package failing to deliver the expected performance improvement.

While George Russell returned to the previous specification, Antonelli continued with the updated car and worked throughout the weekend to find a more competitive balance. The Italian eventually secured third place in Sunday's Grand Prix, finishing behind Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc after overtaking Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris during the closing stages.

His race was not without complications, however. Antonelli accumulated three track limits strikes before the halfway point, leaving Mercedes concerned about a potential penalty. Nevertheless, he managed to avoid further trouble and bring home another podium, further extending his championship advantage over Russell.

Antonelli now leads Russell by 102 points, with Hamilton a further nine points behind. With six Grands Prix remaining, the Italian has his first mathematical opportunity to secure the championship at the United States Grand Prix.

To clinch the title in Austin, three conditions must be met:

All three results are necessary. A second-place finish would not be enough for Antonelli, even if Russell failed to score. With five Grands Prix remaining after Austin, a maximum of 125 points would still be available. Antonelli therefore needs to leave the United States with a championship advantage of at least 125 points, with the countback favouring him if the gap is exactly that amount.

Should he achieve it, the 20-year-old would become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, as well as the first Italian to claim the drivers' title since Alberto Ascari in 1953.