Kimi Antonelli Eyes Maiden Title in Austin: 'Just Have Fun' as Championship Looms
Antonelli says he will 'just have fun' in Austin
Kimi Antonelli says he intends to "just have fun" at the United States Grand Prix as he stands on the brink of the Formula 1 World Championship. This weekend's race in Austin, Texas, is the first time this year the Mercedes driver is mathematically capable of tying up the title.
Antonelli needs to win the race with his team-mate George Russell finishing lower than eighth and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton below fourth. Versions of the permutations differ slightly across reports, but all agree he needs a near-perfect weekend while his rivals struggle.
"It's crazy if you think about it, but that's why I won't think about it," Antonelli said. "Something catastrophic to others needs to happen for me to become (champion). For me, needs to be a perfect weekend and to the others they need to do a poor result, which is unlikely to happen."
He added that he had met race engineer Peter Bonnington that morning. "We just said: 'Just have fun.' Just always the same mindset as I had all year, one race at a time."
Points gap and historic record
Antonelli, who has won eight of 17 races so far this season, is 102 points clear of Russell and 111 ahead of Hamilton. If he leaves Austin 125 points ahead of any other driver, he will become champion. At 20, he would break Sebastian Vettel's 2010 record as the youngest driver to win a maiden F1 title.
Antonelli described the prospect as "something I've dreamt of since I was little". He said: "Already to find myself in such a position is incredible. But at the same time, I need to keep going, keep pushing and it's not over yet. So first we'll try to finish the job properly and then we can enjoy the rest."
Rivals and Hamilton praise his step forward
Many of Antonelli's rivals have praised his progress in his second season after a difficult debut year in 2025. McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Haas driver Oliver Bearman and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar all said the step forward from one year to the next was "quite impressive".
Hamilton, whose Mercedes seat Antonelli took after the seven-time champion moved to Ferrari for 2025, has followed his progress since he joined the Mercedes young driver programme at 11. "He doesn't need any advice. He's shown this year and also last year, but particularly this year, just his talent and his ability, his calmness in approach," Hamilton said. "He's done an amazing job this year, and I'm so proud of him."
Sainz questions end-of-season races
Six races remain on the schedule, but doubt persists over whether the final two grands prix in Qatar and Abu Dhabi can go ahead because of conflicts in the Middle East. F1 is pressing ahead with plans, having received assurances that it is safe to race there, and is preparing Imola in Italy as a potential replacement for Abu Dhabi if the situation deteriorates.
Williams driver Carlos Sainz, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, said he was surprised by how "convinced" the sport's bosses seemed. He also pointed to the US mid-term elections on 3 November. "It's relatively premature to be so convinced. But as it stands, we will go to Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and if the FIA and Formula 1 decide that it's still safe and a good scenario, I think we, as drivers, have to go with whatever they say."