Kimi Antonelli is on the brink of history.
He has a second opportunity to clinch his firstFormula 1 championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix this weekend. At 20 years old, he will become the youngest driver in the motorsport series, beating Sebastian Vettel, who won his first title in 2010 at the age of 23. All eyes are on the Italian driver as he hasbeen battling illness and exhaustion.
But before the lights go out on the race, Lewis Hamiltonextended his own F1 history. The seven-time champion earned his first pole position with Ferrari when he qualified first for the competition. He furthers his record of most pole positions with 105.
The Mexico City Grand Prix is the home race for veteran driver Sergio "Checo" Pérez. The Guadalajara-born driver will
be participating in his 300th F1 race. In 2021, he became the first Mexican driver to be on the podium at the grand prix when he finished third with Red Bull Racing. This season, he is driving for Cadillac, who is in their first year on the grid and, along with fellow longtime driver Valtteri Bottas, has failed to score a point so far.
Last year, Lando Norris won the Mexico Grand Prix en route to his first F1 championship.
Here's what you need to know for the 2026 F1 Mexico City Grand Prix:
How can Kimi Antonelli win the F1 championship in Mexico?
Kimi Antonelli can win his first F1 titleat the Mexico City Grand Prix by finishing in ninth place or higher. The Italian driver, who races for Mercedes, has 365 points and has won nine races this year, including five consecutive victories toward the start of the season.
Unlike last week's race at theUnited States Grand Prix in Austin, it does not matter where the other drivers finish for the 20-year-old to make history as the youngest champion. Antonelli won the Texas race, but George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished too high for him to clinch the title.
Russell and Hamilton are the only other two drivers who still have a chance at the championship.
Mexico City Grand Prix starting grid after Lewis Hamilton's first pole position with Ferrari
After two years with the Scuderia, Lewis Hamilton finally captured his first pole position with Ferrari at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The British racing icon's margin to lead the pack was razor thin. He only beat his former Mercedes teammate, George Russell,by .009 seconds.
Kimi Antonelli has his work cut out for him as he hopes to win his first F1 title whilebattling illness and exhaustion. He will be starting fifth on the grid and needs to finish ninth or higher to make history as the youngest champion.
Here is the starting grid for the Mexico City Grand Prix:
- Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari
- George Russell - Mercedes
- Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
- Max Verstappen - Red Bull Racing
- Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes
- Lando Norris - McLaren
- Isack Hadjar - Red Bull Racing
- Arvid Lindblad - Racing Bulls
- Pierre Gasly - Alpine
- Nico Hülkenberg - Audi
- Franco Colapinto - Alpine
- Oscar Piastri - McLaren
- Gabriel Bortoleto - Audi
- Ollie Bearman - Haas
- Carlos Sainz - Williams
- Alex Albon - Williams
- Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin
- Ryo Hirakawa - Haas
- Lance Stroll - Aston Martin
- Sergio Pérez - Cadillac
- Valtteri Bottas - Cadillac
- Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls
How to watch 2026 F1 Mexico City Grand Prix
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 1
- Location: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City
- TV/Stream: Apple TV
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know for F1 Mexico City GP as Kimi Antonelli eyes championship
