Antonelli wins Austin GP to extend championship lead to 123 points
The Italian secured his ninth victory of the year with a single-stop strategy, leaving George Russell needing a win in Mexico to stay in the title fight.
By Madison Darwish ·
Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday, extending his Formula One championship lead to 123 points with five races remaining.
The 20-year-old Italian started from pole position and finished the 56-lap race in 1 hour, 35 minutes, and 16.650 seconds. Charles Leclerc crossed the line second, 13.078 seconds behind Antonelli. Max Verstappen, the four-time defending champion, finished third, 17.485 seconds off the winner's time.
Antonelli's single-stop strategy was the key to the victory. While rivals made two pit stops, Antonelli stayed out until Lap 25, made one stop, and did not return to the pits. He credited the team for trusting the plan, calling it an incredible effort that ended the weekend perfectly.
The title is not yet decided. George Russell, Antonelli's teammate at Mercedes, must win the next race in Mexico City to remain in contention. If Russell fails to win, Antonelli will be crowned the 2026 world champion. Verstappen is now mathematically out of the race for the title after winning every championship from 2021 to 2024.
A Virtual Safety Car on Lap 52, triggered when Valtteri Bottas's Cadillac stopped on track, kept the field from closing the gap. The VSC remained active until the penultimate lap, ensuring Antonelli's lead held. Verstappen noted that his team's pace and tire choices were not optimal, adding that the podium result may have involved some luck due to the late safety car.
Mercedes extended its constructors' championship lead over Ferrari to 133 points, with 607 points to Ferrari's 474. Antonelli has now won both US races on this year's calendar. The Las Vegas Grand Prix is scheduled for November.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff called the performance the best race Antonelli has produced so far. Wolff said Antonelli controlled the race despite starting with the inferior tire, describing it as the race of a champion. Antonelli agreed, noting that while his Monza win from the back of the grid was special, Sunday's execution was superior due to the team's performance buildup over the weekend.
Source: Al Jazeera
