Kimi Antonelli secured his first Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship with a third-place finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The result was close, though: Mercedes later found that his car had suffered serious engine trouble.
Mercedes Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord said the team discovered oil covering the floor after removing it from the car. The sump had cracked, and Antonelli told the team he could feel the engine beginning to struggle with about four laps remaining. The car was close to being retired, but it held on to the finish.
Antonelli had earned his place on the podium with a bold move on Charles Leclerc. Lord said Leclerc had locked up heavily at the restart, leaving his tire badly worn, and was considering a pit stop. Antonelli spotted a chance and passed him into Turn 1. Lord called it one of the cleanest overtakes of the day, praising Antonelli’s braking and how he carried the move through the corner.
Lord also pointed to Antonelli’s ability to find opportunities in busy races. In Singapore, he said, Antonelli gained two places while Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris were involved in a fight on aging tires.
The championship marks a striking turnaround from Antonelli’s rookie season, when he struggled to match teammate George Russell’s pace. Lord described the year as having three distinct stretches: a strong opening through Miami, a difficult middle period after a suspension change undermined Antonelli’s confidence, and a late-season recovery that began around the Baku race.
After a candid conversation with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and race engineer Peter Bonnington, Antonelli found a better way to work with the team and prepare for each session. His results improved considerably in the closing part of the season.
Lord said he was impressed by how quickly Antonelli absorbed the lessons of those difficult periods. He credited the driver with bringing that experience together over the winter and starting the following season strongly in Melbourne.
Antonelli and Mercedes now have the Constructors’ Championship in their sights. The team can clinch it this weekend at the São Paulo Grand Prix with a double podium.
