{"id":4825,"date":"2026-11-01T20:25:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T23:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=4825"},"modified":"2026-11-01T20:12:53","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T23:12:53","slug":"antonelli-ends-italys-73-year-wait-for-f1-world-champion-after-mexico-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/antonelli-ends-italys-73-year-wait-for-f1-world-champion-after-mexico-title\/","title":{"rendered":"Antonelli ends Italy&#8217;s 73-year wait for F1 world champion after Mexico title"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Andrea Kimi Antonelli became Italy&#8217;s first Formula 1 world champion in 73 years<\/strong>, securing the 2026 title at the Mexico City Grand Prix.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Mercedes driver joins Giuseppe Farina and Alberto Ascari as the only Italian Drivers&#8217; World Champions<\/strong> in Formula 1 history.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Antonelli secured the championship at just 20 years old<\/strong>, becoming the youngest champion in the sport&#8217;s history in only his second F1 season.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Italy&#8217;s 73-year wait for another Formula 1 world champion finally ended on Sunday (November 1), when <strong>Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Drivers&#8217; Championship by finishing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix<\/strong>. The Mercedes driver became only the third Italian to win the title, following Giuseppe Farina in 1950 and Alberto Ascari in 1952 and 1953.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Antonelli&#8217;s achievement marks a historic moment for a country with a deep connection to Formula 1 through Ferrari, Monza and generations of drivers, but which had not celebrated a Drivers&#8217; World Championship since Ascari&#8217;s second title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From Farina and Ascari to Antonelli: Italy&#8217;s three F1 champions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Italy played a central role in the early history of the Formula 1 World Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Giuseppe Farina won the inaugural title in 1950<\/strong>, driving for Alfa Romeo and defeating teammate Juan Manuel Fangio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two years later, Alberto Ascari secured the 1952 championship with Ferrari before successfully defending his crown in 1953.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ascari remains Italy&#8217;s only multiple Formula 1 world champion, with two titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the country&#8217;s continued importance to the sport, no Italian driver managed to repeat their achievements over the following seven decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That changed in Mexico, where Antonelli finished third behind Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton to establish an unassailable championship advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f1-2026-mexico-cidade-do-mexico-corrida-mercedes-kimi-antonelli-17-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"F1 2026, M\u00c9XICO, CIDADE DO M\u00c9XICO, CORRIDA, MERCEDES, KIMI ANTONELLI\" class=\"wp-image-1020320072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f1-2026-mexico-cidade-do-mexico-corrida-mercedes-kimi-antonelli-17-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f1-2026-mexico-cidade-do-mexico-corrida-mercedes-kimi-antonelli-17-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f1-2026-mexico-cidade-do-mexico-corrida-mercedes-kimi-antonelli-17-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f1-2026-mexico-cidade-do-mexico-corrida-mercedes-kimi-antonelli-17-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f1-2026-mexico-cidade-do-mexico-corrida-mercedes-kimi-antonelli-17-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f1-2026-mexico-cidade-do-mexico-corrida-mercedes-kimi-antonelli-17-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/f1-2026-mexico-cidade-do-mexico-corrida-mercedes-kimi-antonelli-17.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kimi Antonelli (Photo: F1)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Italian Formula 1 world champions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Driver<\/th><th>Championship year(s)<\/th><th>Constructor<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">Titles<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>G. FARINA<\/td><td>1950<\/td><td>Alfa Romeo<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">1<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>A. ASCARI<\/td><td>1952, 1953<\/td><td>Ferrari<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">2<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>A. K. ANTONELLI<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>2026<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Mercedes<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\"><strong>1<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Antonelli is the first Italian champion of the 21st century<\/strong> and the first to secure the title with Mercedes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mercedes investment in Antonelli delivers historic result<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Antonelli&#8217;s rise through motorsport was supported by Mercedes from an early age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The German manufacturer recruited him into its junior programme and oversaw his development through karting, Formula Regional and Formula 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2025, Mercedes promoted the Italian directly to Formula 1 as Lewis Hamilton&#8217;s replacement, despite Antonelli having no Formula 3 experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The decision placed considerable pressure on the teenager, who joined one of the championship&#8217;s most successful teams at just 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Mercedes maintained its confidence in Antonelli throughout his rookie season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The introduction of the 2026 regulations gave the team an opportunity to challenge for the championship, and Antonelli quickly established himself as its leading contender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>He arrived in Mexico with nine Grand Prix victories and a 123-point championship advantage<\/strong>, needing only ninth place to guarantee the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/antonelli-becomes-youngest-f1-world-champion-as-verstappen-wins-chaotic-2026-mexican-gp\/\">Antonelli eventually finished third as Verstappen won the Mexican Grand Prix<\/a>, securing the championship with four scheduled races remaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Historic title sparks emotional celebration in Mexico<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Antonelli&#8217;s achievement was accompanied by an emotional celebration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 20-year-old struggled to speak over the Mercedes radio after crossing the finish line, overcome by tears as the team confirmed his championship victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/video-antonelli-breaks-down-in-tears-after-becoming-youngest-f1-world-champion-in-mexico\/\">The moment was captured on video as Antonelli celebrated his first world title<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His triumph also broke Sebastian Vettel&#8217;s record as the youngest Formula 1 world champion, which had stood since 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/antonelli-shatters-16-year-f1-record-how-his-historic-title-compares-with-vettel-hamilton-and-verstappen\/\">Antonelli secured the title at 20 years, 2 months and 7 days<\/a>, more than three years younger than Vettel when the German claimed his first championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The title gives Italy a new world champion after generations of drivers had attempted to follow Farina and Ascari.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the Drivers&#8217; Championship secured, Mercedes will now turn its attention to the Constructors&#8217; Championship, where it leads Ferrari by 126 points after Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> is following every session of the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/\">Formula 1 section<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Andrea Kimi Antonelli became Italy&#8217;s first Formula 1 world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, joining an exclusive group of three Italian title winners after securing the crown with Mercedes in Mexico.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020320075,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Andrea Kimi Antonelli","42wp_featured_image_credits":"Mercedes","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_ai_content_disclaimer":"","42wp_is_ai_content":false,"42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":7,"location":""}],"footnotes":"","42wp_hide_from_automatic":false,"42wp_breaking_news":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[979,19,978,16],"42wp_author":[7],"class_list":["post-4825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-alberto-ascari","tag-andrea-kimi-antonelli","tag-italy","tag-mercedes","42wp_author-victor-martins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4825"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4825\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4826,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4825\/revisions\/4826"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020320075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4825"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=4825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}