Kimi Antonelli Claims Historic Formula One World Championship in Mexico City

Kimi Antonelli has become Formula One's youngest world champion at 20 years and 68 days old. The Mercedes driver secured the historic title on Sunday after finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix, an event that featured a red flag and a restart.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the Mexico City race, while Antonelli's podium finish cemented his championship victory during his second season in the sport. The achievement marks a rapid rise for the young driver, who celebrated his 20th birthday in August.

Antonelli's racing roots trace back to his childhood. According to his father, Marco Antonelli, the driver was immersed in the sport from infancy, spending time in garages surrounded by engines and exhaust fumes alongside his mother, Veronica, who worked with the family's racing team business.

Marco Antonelli recalled first noticing his son's potential when Kimi was 10 years old at the Adria circuit in north-east Italy. During a test drive in a Lamborghini sports car reaching speeds of 320km/h, the young Kimi successfully controlled a severe oversteer while operating the steering and gears.

Reflecting on the incident, Marco Antonelli stated that the precise control displayed by his son at such a young age indicated an exceptional talent for racing. That early promise has now culminated in a dominant championship campaign in Formula One.