Formula One has a new world champion, and he is only 20. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the Italian who drives for Mercedes, sealed the 2026 drivers’ title on Sunday 1 November by finishing third at the Mexico City Grand Prix. Max Verstappen won the race for Red Bull, with Lewis Hamilton second for Ferrari, and the two men lifted the young Italian on their shoulders afterwards. Vanity Fair Italia described his tears of joy over the team radio as the chequered flag fell.
A record that stood for 16 years
According to Reuters and Formula 1’s official website, Antonelli became champion at 20 years and 68 days, beating the record Sebastian Vettel set in 2010 at 23 years and 134 days. He only needed to finish ninth or better in Mexico, and his third place gave him an unassailable lead with four races of the season still to run. ESPN notes that he is the 36th different driver to win the title, and only the third Italian, ending a 73-year wait since Alberto Ascari’s last crown in 1953.
It was not an easy afternoon. The race was halted by a red flag for more than half an hour after a heavy accident, and a late safety car bunched the field again before the finish. Antonelli started fourth and kept his head while others around him tangled.
The boy next door at the top
What makes the story so appealing is how ordinary Antonelli still seems. Vanity Fair Italia paints a picture of a young man from Bologna who unwinds by washing his car by hand, celebrates birthdays at a water park and arrives at the circuit with his sister. He races with the number 12 in tribute to Ayrton Senna, whose old race footage he grew up watching. Mercedes signed him as a child, and team principal Toto Wolff backed him to replace Hamilton in 2025 when many said he was far too young. In only his second season, the gamble has paid off spectacularly.
Champions tend to collect keepsakes from the big moments, from a signet piece among men’s rings to a sturdy weekend bag. If you are travelling to the final races or simply celebrating at home, browse our men’s bags, practical backpacks and hands-free crossbody bags, or a gift from our bracelets collection for the motor-racing fan in your life.
Sources: Vanity Fair Italia; Reuters via Al Jazeera; Formula1.com; ESPN.
