Kimi Antonelli moved another step closer to the 2026 Formula 1 World Championship with a dominant victory at the United States Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen finished third behind Charles Leclerc at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.
The Mercedes driver started from pole position and converted that advantage into his ninth Grand Prix victory of the season. Lewis Hamilton finished fourth, while Antonelli's teammate, George Russell, crossed the line in eighth after receiving a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
Antonelli arrived in Austin with an opportunity to secure the Drivers' Championship, but the results elsewhere meant the 20-year-old will have to wait a little longer to celebrate.
The Italian needed Russell to finish ninth or lower and Hamilton to finish fifth or lower to clinch the title. However, Russell's eighth-place finish and Hamilton's fourth-place result kept the championship alive. Nevertheless, Antonelli's latest victory leaves him firmly in control of the standings. He now has 365 points, with Russell second on 242 and Hamilton third on 241.
Antonelli's remarkable campaign has put him in position to become the youngest World Champion in Formula 1 history, surpassing Sebastian Vettel's record of winning his first title at 23 years and 133 days old.
Verstappen's third-place finish provided another valuable result for Red Bull, although the Dutchman was unable to prevent Antonelli from extending his advantage. Leclerc split the pair to secure second for Ferrari, while Hamilton narrowly missed out on a podium despite recording the fastest lap of the race.
The result also strengthened Mercedes' position in the Constructors' Championship. The team now has 578 points, comfortably ahead of Ferrari on 444, with McLaren and Red Bull further behind.
With Antonelli continuing to collect victories, Mercedes will be increasingly confident about securing both championships before the season concludes. Formula 1 now heads to Mexico City for the next round of the 2026 season on November 1, where Antonelli will almost certainly cinch the Championship.
It's been an incredible year for the Italian, and an absolutely crushing defeat for Russell, who was once the favourite to win the title in 2026.