Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) delivered another masterclass this weekend in Austin, Texas, claiming his seventh pole position and ninth victory to move significantly closer to his first Formula 1 world title.
The 20-year-old Italian, who had been chasing a pole position for three months and had not won in his previous three races, showed at the spectacular Circuit of the Americas why he has been the championship’s undisputed leader.
“It was one of my best weekends in Formula 1. The team did an incredible job and we made the right strategic call by opting for just one tire change. I was a little worried at first, but I eventually realized it was the right thing to do, so I felt confident after my pit stop,” Antonelli explained.
Once again untouchable, the Bologna native came close to clinching the world title. He will have another chance next weekend in Mexico City, where, barring a catastrophic turn of events, he is expected to be crowned champion during the Day of the Dead celebrations.
Antonelli needs just two more points before the end of the season to secure the title. A ninth-place finish will therefore be enough in the Mexican capital, where the altitude could shake up the competitive order. Even if he scores no points, he will be guaranteed the championship provided his teammate George Russell and Lewis Hamilton do not win.
“Step by step, he is getting closer to the title. This may have been his best race of the season because he managed everything perfectly,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
Russell disappoints again
Antonelli now has a clear path to the title, but he has no intention of easing off and simply playing it safe. He wants to be crowned champion in style.
“We are very close [to the title]. We will try to clinch it quickly and, above all, finish the job on a high note. The goal will be to enjoy ourselves as much as possible, try to win again and then we can celebrate,” Antonelli stressed.
As has often been the case this season, his teammate George Russell, who was the overwhelming favorite for the title at the start of the year, delivered a disappointing performance. Starting sixth on the grid, he received a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage by going off track and ultimately finished eighth.
A reflection of his struggles this season, the Briton lacked pace on Sunday and spent several laps stuck behind Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren). Despite having fresher tires, he was unable to pass him.
Ferrari in form
Beyond Antonelli’s victory, Italian fans had another reason to celebrate. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), who started fourth, snatched second place from Max Verstappen (Red Bull), while seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) finished just one second behind the Dutchman.
Red Bull ended the weekend frustrated, as Frenchman Isack Hadjar, who started third, dropped to sixth. After suffering a clutch problem at the start and being overtaken by both Ferraris, he encountered an engine issue after his tire change and then had to fight to hold off Piastri.
“I had a lot of problems today and we hadn’t anticipated that we could easily manage the race with just one stop, so it’s frustrating. There is an issue with my car that makes it difficult to drive, regardless of the type of tires,” the Parisian complained in the mixed zone.
Frenchman Pierre Gasly (Alpine), who had failed to score points in the previous four races, finished tenth to bring that difficult run to an end.
