Brief

Kimi Antonelli wins US Grand Prix, stays two points shy of title

The 20‑year‑old Italian won at COTA while rivals Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished fourth and eighth, keeping the championship fight alive.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 26 Oct 2026 06:34:25 GMT

Kimi Antonelli secured his ninth victory of the 2026 Formula One season at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, but fell short of the points needed to clinch the world title.

What happened

Starting from pole on medium‑compound tyres, Antonelli surged ahead at the start while Max Verstappen, his front‑row rival, struggled off the line. Verstappen briefly lost second place to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc before Red Bull recovered. A virtual safety car on lap two was triggered when Alex Albon’s barge board detached after contact with Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, but the incident did not affect the championship picture.

Antonelli dominated the race, maintaining a clear lead and executing a one‑stop strategy that Mercedes praised as “perfect execution”. He crossed the finish line first, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and Antonelli’s teammate George Russell ended eighth after receiving a five‑second penalty for leaving the track at turn 12 while attempting to overtake Isack Hadjar.

What the reports add

The Telegraph noted that Antonelli’s rivals needed to finish below specific positions for him to win the title – Hamilton had to finish fifth or lower and Russell ninth or lower. The article also highlighted Antonelli’s pre‑race interaction with MotoGP riders, describing his comment to Martin Brundle that they were “much crazier” than F1 drivers.

What was said

Antonelli said, “It was the result we needed. The whole team deserved it so much, bringing this [upgrade] package. It was also the perfect execution with the strategy to do the one‑stop,” as reported by the Telegraph.

When asked about the championship, he added, “We’re very close, we try to finish on a high, and hopefully we can finish it very soon.”

How it came about

Antonelli entered the race leading the drivers’ standings by 102 points, a margin built on a string of wins highlighted in Felo’s earlier coverage of his pole position on 24 October. The points scenario outlined in those reports – a win combined with Russell finishing ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower – remained in play after Austin, leaving the title undecided heading into the Mexican Grand Prix at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Key facts

• Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix in Austin. (telegraph.co.uk)
• Antonelli finished two points behind the championship threshold. (telegraph.co.uk)
• Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and George Russell finished eighth. (telegraph.co.uk)
• A virtual safety car was deployed on lap two after Alex Albon's barge board came loose. (telegraph.co.uk)
• Russell received a five‑second penalty for leaving the track at turn 12. (telegraph.co.uk)

Sources

• [1] telegraph.co.uk — originally reported as “Antonelli just two points from F1 title after winning US Grand Prix”