MEXICO CITY, Nov 2 — A tearful Kimi Antonelli became Formula One's youngest world champion at 20 years and 68 days yesterday after finishing third for Mercedes in a red-flagged and restarted Mexico City Grand Prix won by Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
The first Italian champion since 1953 sobbed with joy over the team radio as he took the chequered flag at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with his championship lead now an unassailable 119 points.
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton started from pole position and finished a close second after clashing with teammate Charles Leclerc, capping an afternoon of drama featuring two safety cars, multiple crashes and an agonising 33-minute stoppage with 25 of the 71 laps remaining.
"Get in there, Kimi. Champion of the world," said his race engineer Peter Bonnington, a regular target of the young driver's practical jokes.
"We did it. Thank you so much," gasped the Italian, whose parents and sister were waiting to embrace him as he stepped out of the car. He was then mobbed by his pit crew.
The previous youngest champion was Germany's Sebastian Vettel, who claimed the first of his four world titles with Red Bull in 2010 at 23 years and 134 days.
"I'm speechless. I'm trying to process what has just happened," Antonelli told the crowd.
"It's been an incredible season, and to share this podium with Max and Lewis is truly incredible. And looking forward to some more battles in the future.
"This weekend I did feel a bit more tense, but I'm just so happy that we got it done, and now we can enjoy the rest of the season," he added.
Antonelli had an Italian flag draped around his shoulders on the podium as he sprayed champagne with abandon.
The last Italian world champion was Alberto Ascari, 73 years earlier.
Verstappen moves up to second overall
Leclerc finished fourth, McLaren's outgoing champion Lando Norris was fifth, while Antonelli's teammate George Russell managed only sixth in a race he needed to win to retain any chance of staying in championship contention.
The result also saw Verstappen move into second place in the overall standings, with Hamilton third and pre-season favourite Russell dropping to fourth, 130 points behind Antonelli.
Mercedes lead the constructors' standings with 630 points to Ferrari's 504 and could clinch the title in Brazil next weekend.
