AUSTIN, Texas — Kimi Antonelli is sitting on the cusp of history.
The 20-year-old Italian prodigy and Mercedes driver could achieve Formula 1 immortality Sunday by becoming the youngest world champion in history at the United States Grand Prix in Texas.
“It definitely is crazy if you think about it. But that’s why I won’t think about it,” Antonelli told reporters Thursday. “It’s always the same mindset I’ve had all year: one race at a time. Just try to do the best I can every race weekend, and then we’ll see. But, of course, if I do things well, then the result will come.”
Antonelli has had a breakout 2026 season in F1 after having struggled as a rookie last year, and fellow drivers have praised his on-track performance in outshining his older Mercedes teammate and rival George Russell, who entered the season as the title favorite.
Reigning world champion Lando Norris said Antonelli has made “a huge leap” since last year.
“I rate George, and I think he’s a very good driver. But Kimi’s been two levels above George the whole season,” Norris said.
Now, with six races to go, he sits 102 points ahead. If his lead reaches the magic number of 125 this weekend, nobody will be able mathematically to catch him for the rest of the season.
Three things must happen Sunday for Antonelli to leave Texas as the world champion. First, he must win the race. Second, he needs his Mercedes teammate and chief rival, Russell, to finish ninth or worse. Third, he needs Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton to finish fifth or worse.
Antonelli is on track to break a record set in 2010 by Sebastian Vettel, who became the youngest-ever world champion in a title-deciding thriller. Antonelli was 4 years old then.
“I remember I was playing with Hot Wheels,” he quipped.
He remains the heavy favorite to capture the 2026 crown this year, even if he falls short in Austin.
Antonelli told NBC News that he only recently began to believe he could break Vettel’s record. “Obviously, I’m in an incredible position,” he said. “The mindset is always the same: Whenever I go on track, I want to be at the top and try to win as much as possible, whether I win the championship this weekend, next weekend or in Brazil. Let’s see. But it’s not over until it’s over.”
The final races are scheduled to take place in Mexico, Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, respectively.
Russell, who is racing in his eighth F1 season, began 2026 as the title favorite. That perception was confirmed when he won the opening race of the season in Australia. But from there his campaign began to fall apart: Antonelli won the next five races and built a lead that he never relinquished.
There’s no doubt that Russell has suffered from horrendous luck, including a battery failure in Canada while he was leading the race, a power-unit error that forced him to retire in Malaysia and a software issue that destroyed his race in Monaco.
But he’s the first to admit that his performance also played a part in his unraveling campaign, with Antonelli frequently showing his edge beating Russell in pole positions and race head-to-heads.
“This season just hasn’t meant to be,” Russell told reporters. “I’m not bitter about it. I look back on the areas I could’ve been better and should have done better, as opposed to things that have been out of my control, that have gone against me. And I would say as much has against me, in terms of bad luck, as my performances haven’t been to the scratch that I know I’m capable of.”
“That’s the reality of it,” he said.
Antonelli was tapped for the Mercedes seat last year after Hamilton, a seven-time champion and the most decorated driver in F1 history, announced he would leave for Ferrari.
Asked Thursday whether he has any advice for Antonelli, Hamilton, 41, joked: “Slow down.”
“He doesn’t need any advice. I think he’s shown this year — and also last year, but particularly this year — his talent and his ability, his calmness and his approach,” Hamilton said, adding: “It’s been really great to see his performances this year. It’s massively impressive, and he deserves to be the champion.”