Antonelli wins F1 title in Mexico as Russell admits 'more bad days than good'

Antonelli takes the title in Mexico City

Kimi Antonelli became the youngest Formula 1 world champion in the sport's history at 20 when he finished third in the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday, 1 November, behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. That result sealed the drivers' championship for him. His Mercedes teammate George Russell, who had started second on the grid behind Hamilton, finished sixth and left the circuit without speaking to reporters. The FIA fined Russell just over $5,000 for skipping a scheduled media session. Mercedes still needs points from both of its drivers to lock up the constructors' championship, holding a 126-point lead over Ferrari with four races remaining, the next of them in Brazil.

Race, penalty and aftermath

Russell's race began well from the front row of the second row, but BBC reports that a glitch in energy deployment off the start line left him short of power and the field swept past him. AP described the problem as engine trouble. Later he collided with Red Bull's Isack Hadjar at Turn Six, sending Hadjar into a spin, and received a 10-second penalty. After the race Russell was close to tears as he was weighed on the FIA scales, and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff allowed him to miss his post-race media duties. Wolff described the scene:

“I saw George after the race on the FIA scales. And obviously, he's distraught about the situation.”

Wolff also praised Russell for going to see Antonelli after the race, calling it a great show of sportsmanship.

Russell's post on Monday

On Monday, 2 November, Russell posted on Instagram and said the moment felt suitable to speak from the heart. He wrote that the season had started exactly as he hoped before tough luck and poor performances unravelled it. He described the struggle as tough to deal with and said he had often been confused, then wrote the line that sums up his post:

“It's been the first proper season of my career where I've had more bad days than good.”

He closed with a message of acceptance:

“All I know is that I've given it my all and 2026 was not meant to be my year.”

Russell congratulated Antonelli on what he called an absolutely incredible season and told him he truly deserved the championship. He thanked the team for producing the best car and power unit this season, and RTBF reports that he promised to give everything he has to regain the level he showed for most of his career.

A season of setbacks

Russell won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, but Antonelli then won five consecutive races and built a large lead in the standings. Russell later won in Austria and Azerbaijan, while Antonelli added four more wins, including the United States Grand Prix two weeks before the title was secured. BBC puts the season totals at three wins for Russell and nine for Antonelli. N-tv reports that Russell retired from the Canadian Grand Prix with an engine failure while leading and lost his power unit in Malaysia while running third. The same outlet says he threw his car into the barrier in the Singapore sprint and gave away the win, and that at Monza he started from pole but finished second behind Antonelli, who started 19th after a penalty.

George Russell3

Kimi Antonelli9

George Russell

3 wins

Kimi Antonelli

9 wins

Data from the article text

Standings and team reaction

After Mexico City, Russell dropped to fourth in the drivers' standings, behind Antonelli, Verstappen and Hamilton. Mercedes' lead over Ferrari in the constructors' standings stands at 126 points with four races left. Russell's post acknowledged the team's efforts over four tough years to bring Mercedes back to the top. Wolff's account and Russell's own words make clear that the result in Mexico City was the hardest moment of a season that had started with a win in Melbourne.