MEXICO CITY, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Kimi Antonelli did not get to swig real champagne on the podium after he won in Texas last weekend, the 20-year-old Mercedes driver still too young for local drinking laws, but Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix could be quite some shindig.
Antonelli, as even those living in the remotest valleys and islands of Italy must surely be aware by now, can become Formula One's youngest champion at the sprawling high-altitude capital's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez as well as the first
Italian to take the crown since 1953.
Now 123 points clear at the top and winner of half the 18 races this season, Antonelli needs only finish in the top nine and it's job done. If teammate George Russell or Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton fail to win, it will be the same outcome.
Mercedes team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff agreed it was 99.9% sure but Antonelli, who sprayed non-alcoholic fizz from an unbranded bottle in Austin, still needed to finish the job.
"It's either going to be a big tequila party or, if it's not a tequila party, then it's going to be caipirinha the weekend afterwards," Wolff said, with Brazil following on from Mexico.
FINISH WITH A FLOURISH
Antonelli, whose boyish enthusiasm and enjoyment of racing have been very apparent since he took the championship lead in the third round of the season in Japan, naturally plans to wrap up the title with a flourish.
"I'm going to approach it with the same mindset, just trying to have as much fun as possible, trying to hopefully fight for another win," he said.
"It would be best to finish on a high, and that's the goal."
Mexico celebrates Day of the Dead on the same weekend, with a giant party in town even without Formula One's arrival.
Mercedes could also clinch the constructors' title but it still looks a long shot, with the team needing a perfect afternoon and Ferrari a terrible one. Brazil the weekend after looks much more likely.
McLaren's Lando Norris won in Mexico from pole last year but the reigning champions have ground to catch up and may not be as competitive.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen also has a strong record in Mexico, with five wins in the last eight attempts, and the Dutch four-times world champion will be looking to regain momentum after Antonelli thwarted his hopes of three wins in a row.
In the constructors' standings, Red Bull and McLaren are tied on points, with the former ahead on placings, and that battle for third place overall could go down to the wire.
So too could Audi's tussle with Haas for seventh, with seven points between them.
Even further back, tail-enders and newcomers Cadillac have cause to celebrate with veteran Mexican Sergio Perez set to start his 300th race in front of his home fans after having to sit out last year following his departure from Red Bull in 2024.
"How much has to happen that you make your 300th race at home," said Perez, for whom the stars aligned only after the Saudi race was cancelled and Bahrain rescheduled in Malaysia.
"It's incredible. And to have all the people that have been with me since day one supporting me, all my sponsors, all my family, all my fans."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond)
