Antonelli wins US Grand Prix, extending title lead to 123 points
The 20-year-old Italian driver defeated Charles Leclerc in Austin, forcing George Russell to win the next race in Mexico City to remain in the championship hunt.
By Lucia Herrera ·
Kimi Antonelli won the Formula One United States Grand Prix on Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
The 20-year-old Italian driver finished the 56-lap race in 1:35:16.650, securing his ninth victory of the season. Charles Leclerc of Monaco finished second, 13.078 seconds behind Antonelli. Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing completed the podium, finishing 17.485 seconds behind the winner.
The result expanded Antonelli's championship lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell of Great Britain to 123 points with five races remaining on the calendar. Russell must win the next race in Mexico City to stay in contention. If Russell fails to win, the title will go to Antonelli.
Strategy determined the outcome of the race. While other teams made two pit stops, Antonelli started from pole position and stayed out until Lap 25. He made a single stop and did not return to the pit lane. Antonelli credited the team for the tactical choice, calling it an incredible team effort.
Max Verstappen, who has won the title from 2021 to 2024, is now mathematically out of the championship fight. The four-time champion will go two years without a world title. Verstappen stated that his team's pace was not good enough and that the available tires were incorrect. He noted that a Virtual Safety Car on Lap 52 may have helped him secure the podium position.
The Virtual Safety Car was triggered when Valtteri Bottas's Cadillac stopped on the track. It remained in effect until the penultimate lap, by which time no driver was in a position to catch Antonelli. Mercedes extended its lead in the constructors' standings to 133 points over Ferrari, with 607 points compared to Ferrari's 474.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff described the performance as the best race Antonelli has produced this season. Wolff said Antonelli controlled the race despite starting on the inferior tire. Antonelli agreed that the execution was better than his previous wins, noting that the team built performance across the weekend. The Las Vegas Grand Prix is scheduled for November.
Source: Al Jazeera
