Home · Sports · Oct 25 archive
Antonelli wins US GP but made to wait for title
Confirmed
In Short: Kimi Antonelli clinched a commanding victory at the 2026 United States Grand Prix, extending his lead in the Formula One championship.
Kimi Antonelli clinched a commanding victory at the 2026 United States Grand Prix, extending his lead in the Formula One championship. Despite his ninth win of the season, Antonelli's title hopes remain uncertain until the next race in Mexico.
Antonelli's strategy was impeccable, opting for a one-stop race while most competitors made two stops. He maintained a three-second lead over Max Verstappen throughout the 56-lap race, finishing 16 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc in second place.
Antonelli's performance was highlighted by his strong start and consistent pace. He held onto the lead from the beginning, withstanding pressure from Verstappen and Leclerc, who engaged in a late battle for second place.
This allowed Antonelli to further extend his lead and secure a comfortable victory.
Antonelli's team, Mercedes, played a crucial role in his success, opting for a conservative strategy that kept him out on the track longer than his competitors. This decision paid off, as Antonelli's rivals struggled with tire management.
Despite his impressive performance, Antonelli acknowledged that the victory felt different from previous races. He said, “It definitely is crazy if you think about it, but that's why I won't think about it,” emphasizing his focus on the upcoming Mexico Grand Prix.
The championship will be decided at the Mexico Grand Prix, where Antonelli needs to avoid losing more than 23 points to George Russell or 24 points to Lewis Hamilton to secure his first world title.
Antonelli's journey to this point has been marked by resilience and consistency. After a difficult rookie season, he has delivered strong performances, including a seventh-place finish from a back-of-the-grid start at the Italian Grand Prix.
Antonelli's team praised his performance, with team members emphasizing the importance of the upcoming race in Mexico. The young driver's focus remains on the final push to secure his maiden championship.
The race in Austin showcased Antonelli's dominance and strategic acumen, but the championship remains wide open until the final race of the season.
Antonelli's victory in Austin was his first since the Spanish Grand Prix, highlighting his resurgence in recent races.
The race in Austin featured intense battles for second place, with Verstappen and Leclerc engaging in a late fight for the position.
What's confirmed
- Kimi Antonelli has won nine of the 18 races so far this season Kimi Antonelli just missed out on clinching his first world title in a dominant victory in the United States Grand Prix.
- "It was the result we needed. The whole team deserve it so much," Antonelli said.
- The Italian aced the start and made a one-stop strategy work with ease, winning by a sizeable margin over Charles Leclerc in second and Max Verstappen in third.
- Antonelli did everything required of him in Austin, taking pole and converting it to a win, his ninth of the season.
What's still developing
- That left a temporary top three of Antonelli, Hadjar and Russell until all came in for what was supposed to be their only pitstop, with Antonelli eschewing the soft tyres entirely to go from mediums to hards on lap 25.
- At the start of lap 47, Verstappen made a late lunge on Norris to the inside of COTA's steep Turn 1 hairpin, snatching second away before Leclerc also found a way through.
- Verstappen didn't enjoy his new-found lead all that long as he started struggling with engine braking issues, calling his Red Bull "undriveable".
- And Antonelli was able to convert that choice into a one-stop race while almost everyone else did two, emphasising his superiority as he finished 16 seconds clear of Leclerc.
- Part 1 of Antonelli's job was done Saturday as he soared to a magnificent pole as the sun began to drop on the Circuit of the Americas.
- “It was the result we needed,” Antonelli said in a post-race interview.
- Verstappen and the Ferrari were among the majority to start on the softest compound and were motivated to pressure Antonelli early, but none could genuinely match the Mercedes driver before their first stops.
- While Verstappen pitted for a fresh set of tires on Lap 31, Antonelli was released into second, and he quickly regained the lead from the Ferrari driver, and began to pull away.
- "I was on the inside, he was overtaking on the outside, that's his risk," Russell said over the radio before the punishment.
- They ran in that order at the start, too, Antonelli holding the lead off the line on medium tyres and Leclerc squeezing past Verstappen into Turn 4 as the Red Bull appeared to struggle for traction and/or power on the run downhill out of the first corner.
- During the red flag for Leclerc's crash, Antonelli was one of a handful to choose medium tyres instead of hards for the restart - having taken the intial start on the hard compound.
- After some difficult moments during his rookie campaign, Antonelli bounced back from a big crash in the final practice session ahead of this year’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix to deliver a strong qualifying performance, and then a P2 to begin the year.