Kimi Antonelli wins US Grand Prix but delays F1 title clinching

Kimi Antonelli won the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. Despite the victory, the Mercedes driver could not secure the world title early, as the necessary combination of results was not met. To clinch the championship at that stage, Antonelli needed to win the race and have George Russell finish in ninth place or lower, and Lewis Hamilton in fifth place or worse. However, Russell finished eighth and Hamilton crossed the finish line in fourth place. With this victory, Antonelli's ninth of the season, the Italian reached 365 points in the overall standings. The title race moves on to the Mexico City Grand Prix, which will be held on November 1st. In the constructors' standings, Mercedes extended its lead, totaling 607 points against Ferrari's 474. The podium in Austin was completed by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in second and Red Bull's Max Verstappen in third. Pit stop strategy was a decisive factor: while Verstappen made two tire changes, Antonelli opted for only one pit stop, which allowed him to manage his lead in the final laps. George Russell, who was penalized five seconds for gaining an advantage off-track, managed to recover during the race. Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto, driving for Audi, finished the race in 13th place. The driver had started 21st after receiving a 60-place grid penalty due to power unit component changes. Despite gaining eight positions during the race, Bortoleto did not score points.