Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on 25 October (local time), converting pole position into victory on a one-stop strategy. It was the Mercedes driver's ninth race win of the season, SGGP reported, and it leaves the 20-year-old Italian on 365 points, 123 clear of George Russell and 124 ahead of Lewis Hamilton, according to Formula 1's official figures cited by SGGP.
Race result in Austin
Antonelli covered the 56 laps of the 5.513 km circuit in 1 hour 35 minutes 16.650 seconds. According to SGGP, Hamilton's fourth place for Ferrari and Russell's eighth for Mercedes were enough to stop Antonelli from wrapping up the title early in Texas.
| Position | Driver | Team | Time / gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:35:16.650 |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +13.078s |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +17.485s |
Afterwards, Antonelli said it was the result the team needed and deserved. In comments carried by the F1 website, he also credited the work that went into the new Mercedes upgrade package and a race strategy built around a single pit stop, which he described as close to perfect.
The title maths
According to SGGP, five rounds remain, with a maximum of 25 points for each race win. That leaves 125 points on the table, a figure that drops to 100 after the next race in Mexico.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Antonelli's points | 365 |
| Lead over Russell | 123 points |
| Lead over Hamilton | 124 points |
| Race wins this season | 9 |
| Races remaining | 5 |
| Maximum points still available | 125 |
The remaining rounds are the Mexico City, São Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix. On SGGP's calculation, a 123-point lead over Russell means Antonelli needs just two more points to be confirmed as champion. He acknowledged himself that the team knows it is very close to the title.
If he gets there, he will become the first Italian Formula 1 world champion since 1953 and the youngest champion in the sport's history, according to the F1 website.
What's next
The Mexico City Grand Prix is next, and SGGP sees it as the most likely place for Antonelli to make history. He does not need to win the race to clinch the title. In the past, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, during their Mercedes years, were among the rare drivers to be crowned at the Mexico City round. If the championship is not settled in Mexico, four more chances follow in São Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.