Formula 1’s runaway leader Kimi Antonelli says he will try to "finish the job properly" as he gets a first opportunity to become the series' youngest ever world champion.
The 20-year-old can clinch the 2026 title as early as this weekend's United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, though this scenario would involve getting some outside help.
Antonelli will win the title if he wins Sunday's race and Mercedes team-mate George Russell - who is 102 points behind - finishes ninth or lower, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton finishes no higher than fifth.
When asked about that possibility, Antonelli vowed he would try to "finish the job properly", which means approaching the Austin-Mexico-Brazil triple-header as he would any other race.
This is the same approach that has netted him the eight grand prix wins and 14 podiums that have got the Italian to this point.
"It definitely is 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 and for me it needs to be a perfect weekend, which is unlikely to happen.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Clive Mason / Getty Images
"We had a meeting with Bono [race engineer Peter Bonnington] this morning and we said to just have fun and always have the same mindset as I had all year.
“One race at a time and 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 admitted a title success would be the fulfilment of a childhood dream and an "incredible achievement", but vowed to "finish the job properly" first.
"It would be a dream, it's something I've dreamt of since I was little. First of all to find myself in such a position is incredible," he added.
"But at the same time, I need to keep going, keep pushing and it's not over yet. First we'll try to finish the job properly and then we can enjoy the rest. But for sure, it will be an incredible achievement."
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