Antonelli edges closer to historic title as teammate concedes the fight
Kimi Antonelli is on the brink of becoming the youngest F1 champion in history, while his nearest rival says he is out of the fight.
Kimi Antonelli is on the verge of history as he edges closer to the F1 championship title, according to reports. The young Italian driver extended his championship lead with an eighth grand prix victory in Spain, currently leading by a staggering 81 points ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 26.
His nearest rival, George Russell, conceded during the Spanish Grand Prix that winning the title this season is no longer a realistic possibility. Russell, who secured fifth place in Madrid, admitted, "We are in a great position to win the constructors championship. Realistically, I'm not in the fight for the drivers."
Russell's comments come after Mercedes delivered on pre-season expectations of being the best team in 2026. However, the British driver's hopes of becoming the youngest F1 world champion since Sebastian Vettel in 2010 have faded. Antonelli, who became the youngest driver to lead the championship earlier in the season, remains unfazed by the gap in points, stating, "That's exactly what I don't want to do. I want to keep pushing race by race, keep delivering and keep enjoying all the way."
F1 heads to Azerbaijan for the concluding grand prix on September 26.
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