Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli made history on Sunday by becoming the youngest Formula One world champion at age 20. He secured the title after finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix. Antonelli also became the first Italian driver to win the world championship since 1953, celebrating with joyful tears.
Kimi Antonelli (Reuters Photo)
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli made history on Sunday by becoming the youngest Formula One world champion at the age of 20. Antonelli secured the title after finishing third in a dramatic Mexico City Grand Prix, which was won by Red Bull's Max Verstappen. The Italian driver broke down in tears of joy over the team radio as he crossed the finish line. His lead in the championship standings has now reached an unbeatable 119 points. The race at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was stopped by a red flag before being restarted.
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Antonelli becomes first Italian champion since 1953
Antonelli also became the first Italian driver to win the Formula One world championship since 1953. Despite missing out on the race victory, his third-place finish was enough to seal the title and put his name in the history books.
Dramatic race in Mexico City
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton started the race from pole position and finished second, just behind Verstappen. The race was full of drama, with two safety cars and several crashes. The action was also interrupted by a 33-minute stoppage after a red flag with 25 of the 71 laps still remaining. List of Formula One world champions after Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli won his first title in Mexico City on Sunday:
Formula One world champions (1950-2026)
YearWorld championCountryTeam2026Kimi AntonelliItalyMercedes2025Lando NorrisBritainMcLaren2024Max VerstappenNetherlandsRed Bull2023Max VerstappenNetherlandsRed Bull2022Max VerstappenNetherlandsRed Bull2021Max VerstappenNetherlandsRed Bull2020Lewis HamiltonBritainMercedes2019Lewis HamiltonBritainMercedes2018Lewis HamiltonBritainMercedes2017Lewis HamiltonBritainMercedes2016Nico RosbergGermanyMercedes2015Lewis HamiltonBritainMercedes2014Lewis HamiltonBritainMercedes2013Sebastian VettelGermanyRed Bull2012Sebastian VettelGermanyRed Bull2011Sebastian VettelGermanyRed Bull2010Sebastian VettelGermanyRed Bull2009Jenson ButtonBritainBrawn2008Lewis HamiltonBritainMcLaren2007Kimi RaikkonenFinlandFerrari2006Fernando AlonsoSpainRenault2005Fernando AlonsoSpainRenault2004Michael SchumacherGermanyFerrari2003Michael SchumacherGermanyFerrari2002Michael SchumacherGermanyFerrari2001Michael SchumacherGermanyFerrari2000Michael SchumacherGermanyFerrari1999Mika HakkinenFinlandMcLaren1998Mika HakkinenFinlandMcLaren1997Jacques VilleneuveCanadaWilliams1996Damon HillBritainWilliams1995Michael SchumacherGermanyBenetton1994Michael SchumacherGermanyBenetton1993Alain ProstFranceWilliams1992Nigel MansellBritainWilliams1991Ayrton SennaBrazilMcLaren1990Ayrton SennaBrazilMcLaren1989Alain ProstFranceMcLaren1988Ayrton SennaBrazilMcLaren1987Nelson PiquetBrazilWilliams1986Alain ProstFranceMcLaren1985Alain ProstFranceMcLaren1984Niki LaudaAustriaMcLaren1983Nelson PiquetBrazilBrabham1982Keke RosbergFinlandWilliams1981Nelson PiquetBrazilBrabham1980Alan JonesAustraliaWilliams1979Jody ScheckterSouth AfricaFerrari1978Mario AndrettiUSALotus1977Niki LaudaAustriaFerrari1976James HuntBritainMcLaren1975Niki LaudaAustriaFerrari1974Emerson FittipaldiBrazilMcLaren1973Jackie StewartBritainTyrrell1972Emerson FittipaldiBrazilLotus1971Jackie StewartBritainTyrrell1970Jochen RindtAustriaLotus1969Jackie StewartBritainMatra1968Graham HillBritainLotus1967Denny HulmeNew ZealandBrabham1966Jack BrabhamAustraliaBrabham1965Jim ClarkBritainLotus1964John SurteesBritainFerrari1963Jim ClarkBritainLotus1962Graham HillBritainBRM1961Phil HillUSAFerrari1960Jack BrabhamAustraliaCooper1959Jack BrabhamAustraliaCooper1958Mike HawthornBritainFerrari1957Juan Manuel FangioArgentinaMaserati1956Juan Manuel FangioArgentinaLancia/Ferrari1955Juan Manuel FangioArgentinaMercedes1954Juan Manuel FangioArgentinaMercedes/Maserati1953Alberto AscariItalyFerrari1952Alberto AscariItalyFerrari1951Juan Manuel FangioArgentinaAlfa Romeo1950Giuseppe FarinaItalyAlfa Romeo
Multiple-time world champions
TitlesDrivers7Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton5Juan Manuel Fangio4Alain Prost, Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen3Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna2Fernando Alonso, Alberto Ascari, Jim Clark, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Hakkinen, Graham Hill
World champions by country
No. of titlesCountry11Britain3Brazil, Finland, Germany, Italy2Australia, Austria, United States