Superstitious Antonelli to shun F1 champion’s number one next year

Kimi Antonelli achieved a historic milestone by becoming the youngest Formula One world champion at the age of 20 years and 68 days, as reported on Sunday. He secured the title by finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix, behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The previous record for the youngest world champion was held by Sebastian Vettel, who became a champion at the age of 23 in 2010. Antonelli made history as the first Italian champion since 1953.

Antonelli expressed his astonishment at the achievement, stating that he is currently trying to process the events that transpired. He credited his parents and sister for their presence at the podium to celebrate his victory. The young champion reflected on the incredible season he has had and expressed excitement for future racing battles.

Antonelli's race to the title was complicated by the excitement of the moment, resulting in a loss of two seconds due to poor visibility on the final lap. He recalled seeing two Ferraris, which likely contributed to the confusion. Despite the chaos, the experience was deeply special for Antonelli, who let all his emotions out after fulfilling one of his biggest dreams.

With 380 points, Antonelli remains ahead of Verstappen (261) and Hamilton (259) in the championship standings, with four races left. Verstappen narrowly edged out Hamilton in the overall standings, but they will vie for the second-place position as the season concludes. Antonelli started the race in fourth position and needed to finish ninth or better to clinch the championship regardless of his competitors' performances. The race encountered a red flag around Lap 45 due to a crash involving Valtteri Bottas.

Meanwhile, Verstappen secured his sixth victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix, further solidifying his affinity with the circuit. Following Mexico, the Formula One calendar will continue to Brazil and Las Vegas, with the final two Grands Prix scheduled to take place in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. However, the geopolitical instability in the region has raised uncertainties about whether these events will take place.