Antonelli on verge of history after dominant US Grand Prix win

Kimi Antonelli closed to within one result of the Formula One world title with a dominant victory at the United States Grand Prix in Austin on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Mercedes driver’s ninth win of the season leaves him needing only a ninth-place finish in Mexico next week to become the youngest Formula One world champion ever and the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

Antonelli, who started from pole, led by two seconds after the opening lap and never looked threatened, finishing more than 13 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third.

The Italian would have clinched the title on Sunday had Mercedes teammate George Russell finished lower than eighth and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton outside the top four.

Russell, who was hit with a five-second penalty for leaving the track on lap one, struggled home eighth behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, while Hamilton finished fourth after chasing down Verstappen late.

Verstappen was jumped at the start by Leclerc but quickly reclaimed second, only to lose it again in the final stages as his tyres faded.

Outgoing champion Lando Norris ran second until late before his tyres dropped off and he slipped to fifth, behind Hamilton and ahead of Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar in sixth.

Had Russell finished lower and Hamilton missed the top four, Antonelli would have broken Sebastian Vettel’s record as youngest champion, set at 23 years and 133 days in 2010.