Italian F1 driver Kimi Antonelli has his first chance to win the world championship this weekend, as the 20-year-old closes in on a maiden title in just his second season.
The Mercedes driver has been a class above the rest in 2026, with eight grand prix wins and a further six podium places across 17 rounds.
This Monday’s (AEDT) United States Grand Prix will be Antonelli’s first match point where he can officially seal a championship that has felt like his for many months.
The equation for Kimi Antonelli is very simple: win and hope for other results.
Antonelli enters this weekend’s grand prix on 340 points, 102 more than teammate George Russell and 111 ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
The Italian needs to have a lead of 125 points or more to seal the drivers’ championship at the United States Grand Prix.
That will happen if Antonelli wins the race, Russell finishes ninth or worse, and Hamilton finishes fifth or worse.
| Antonelli | Russell | Hamilton | Championship result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 9th or lower | 5th or lower | Antonelli becomes champion |
| Win | 8th or better | 5th or lower | Hamilton eliminated |
| Win | 9th or lower | 4th or better | Russell eliminated |
| Win | 8th or better | 5th or lower | Championship remains alive |
| 2nd or lower | Any | Any | Championship remains alive |
After this weekend, there will be five grands prix left in the season — Mexico, Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
There will be a maximum of 125 points left to win.
If Antonelli finishes exactly 125 points ahead of either Russell or Hamilton in Texas, mathematically either of those drivers could end the season level on points — if they won every race and Antonelli failed to score another point.
Even in that unlikely scenario, Antonelli would still become champion through a tie-break, having won more grands prix than the others.
When is the United States Grand Prix?
Here is when the F1 United States Grand Prix begins in your state or territory.
Monday, October 26
- 7am AEDT: NSW, Victoria, ACT, Tasmania
- 6:30am: ACDT: South Australia
- 6am AEST: Queensland
- 5:30am ACST: Northern Territory
- 4am AWST: Western Australia
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