Christine Drews Sieger
At just 20 years old, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli became the youngest champion in Formula 1 history.
Reaching the pinnacle of motorsport usually takes years of persistence, but every once in a while, a rare talent arrives and upends the history books in a single season.
On Sunday, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli was crowned Formula 1 world champion, becoming the youngest driver to ever claim the title at just 20 years old.
The milestone was sealed with a third-place finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix, won by Max Verstappen ahead of Lewis Hamilton, CNN reports.
Broke down in tears
Holding an insurmountable points lead with four rounds remaining in the season, an overwhelmed Antonelli broke down in tears over team radio moments after crossing the finish line:
‘Thank you so much, we did it, we did it, thank you so much … thank you,’ Antonelli wept, according to CNN.
Antonelli’s triumph eclipses the benchmark set by Sebastian Vettel, who took his maiden championship at age 23 back in 2010.
The achievement also ends an extraordinary drought for his home country; not since Alberto Ascari in 1953 has Italy celebrated a Formula 1 world champion.
‘I would not be here, without Mercedes and my family, I am speechless just trying to process this,’ Antonelli said following the podium ceremony.
Rival Chaos and Inter-Team Friction
The Mexican Grand Prix was not without drama before the champagne began to flow, according to CNN.
A heavy crash on lap 46 triggered a red flag when Valtteri Bottas suffered a suspension failure and slammed into the barriers. Bottas walked away from the impact without serious injury.
Over at Ferrari, tension flared between the teammates. Lewis Hamilton lost the lead on lap four after an aggressive maneuver from Charles Leclerc forced him off track.
Stewards handed Leclerc a five-second time penalty, but the sanction did little to soothe Hamilton’s frustration:
‘The stewards are basically handing Charles this win. We agreed in the drivers’ briefing,’
Hamilton fumed over the radio. ‘The problem with a 5-second penalty is that he’s got clean air and doesn’t have to manage like the rest of us. He should have just given the position back.’
