Antonelli wins US Grand Prix to move within two points of title

Kimi Antonelli moved to within two points of his first Formula 1 world championship with a dominant victory in the United States Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver left the race with the title still unresolved, but a ninth-place finish in Mexico City next weekend would be enough to secure it.

Antonelli holds a 123-point advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell, according to BBC Sport’s report. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton also remains mathematically in contention, leaving the Italian waiting for another opportunity to turn his commanding lead into a confirmed championship.

The victory reinforced Antonelli’s position at the head of a season he has largely controlled. BBC Sport reported that the 20-year-old established his authority immediately, escaping the contest behind him while his rivals fought among themselves through the opening corner.

His championship position now makes winning the next race unnecessary. According to the BBC’s calculations, Antonelli can afford to lose as many as 23 points to Russell or 24 to Hamilton in Mexico City and still emerge as champion.

That creates slightly different targets depending on which rival wins. Ninth place would settle the championship even if Russell takes victory, while 10th would suffice if Hamilton wins. If neither driver wins, BBC Sport reported, Antonelli would become champion regardless of his own finishing position.

The standings underline how little room remains for a challenge. Crash.net’s post-race championship table lists Antonelli on 365 points, Russell on 242 and Hamilton on 241, with 125 points available across the remaining five rounds. The lead is therefore still mathematically vulnerable, despite leaving his pursuers almost no margin for error.

Behind that title calculation, the contest for second in the championship is considerably closer. The same standings place Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on 236 points and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on 233. Just nine points separate Russell in second from Leclerc in fifth, keeping that battle open even as Antonelli approaches the overall crown.

Mercedes also holds a substantial advantage in the constructors’ standings. Crash.net lists the team on 607 points, ahead of Ferrari on 474, while Red Bull and McLaren are level on 355. Those figures put Antonelli’s individual campaign within a broader season of strength for his team.

For Antonelli, the immediate distinction is between being overwhelmingly favoured and being mathematically assured of the title. His United States victory brought the latter much closer without completing the task. Attention now turns to Mexico City, where the BBC’s championship scenarios give him several routes to securing his first world crown.