Kimi Antonelli clinched the 2026 F1 title in Mexico City on Nov. 1. Here is the standings picture, how U.S. fans can watch what is left, and what is unsettled.
Kimi Antonelli is the 2026 Formula 1 world champion. The 20-year-old Mercedes driver finished third at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, which was enough to lock up the Drivers' Championship with four races still to run, according to Formula 1's own race report. He is the youngest champion in the sport's history and the first Italian to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
How did Antonelli clinch the F1 title in Mexico City?
He needed ninth place or better, and nothing his rivals did could change that, according to F1.com. He started fourth on the grid for the 71-lap race and kept out of trouble while Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton fought each other at the front.
A red flag, caused by Valtteri Bottas crashing his Cadillac after a suspension failure, sent the field back to a standing start. Antonelli used it to pass Leclerc into Turn 1 and take third, behind race winner Max Verstappen and Hamilton, who finished 0.7 seconds back. Motorsport.com reports that Antonelli eased off on the last lap because tears were making it hard to see the track.
It was not an easy week for him. F1.com says he came down with a viral illness after winning in Austin, skipped his usual Thursday media duties and kept a low profile in practice. "I'm trying to process what has just happened," he said after the race, according to F1.com.
Where does the championship table stand now?
Formula 1's standings page lists Antonelli on 380 points. Verstappen is second on 261, Hamilton third on 259, Mercedes teammate George Russell fourth on 250 and Leclerc fifth on 245. So the title is done, but second place is a real fight between four drivers.
Russell had a bad day. He started second, lost places with an energy deployment problem, took a 10-second penalty for a collision with Isack Hadjar and finished sixth. Toto Wolff said the team "let him down," according to F1.com. Results also changed after the flag: Alpine's Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto were stripped of points for yellow-flag infringements, which moved Haas newcomer Ryo Hirakawa up to 10th on his Grand Prix debut.
How can U.S. fans watch the rest of the F1 season?
Formula 1 streams on Apple TV in the United States this year, the first season of a five-year deal, according to CNET. As of Oct. 30, CNET listed the standalone service at $15 a month. The Mexico City race started at 3 p.m. ET, but we have not confirmed session times for the remaining weekends, so check the Apple TV schedule before you plan around them.
Per the official F1 calendar, four rounds are left:
- Brazil (São Paulo): Nov. 6-8
- Las Vegas: Nov. 19-21
- Qatar: Nov. 27-29
- Abu Dhabi: Dec. 4-6
What is still unsettled?
Ferrari, mostly. Hamilton called for "serious talks" after Leclerc passed him off the track on the opening lap, and Leclerc said he deserved his five-second penalty, according to F1.com. Team principal Fred Vasseur said the team would "clear all this up." Nothing has been announced yet about what that means in practice.
Also open: whether Mercedes can patch things up with Russell, who must now share a garage with the champion for at least the rest of the year.
Our take
This is analysis, not reporting. The previous record belonged to Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he won in 2010, so Antonelli took three years off a mark that stood for a long time. The more interesting question is what the last four races are for. With the title sealed, the stories worth watching are the fight for second and Ferrari's internal mess. For U.S. fans, Las Vegas on Nov. 19-21 is the obvious race to circle, because it is the one home round left and the first chance to see Antonelli race as champion in front of an American crowd.
Related reading
Picture credit: Formula 1
