The 20-year-old Italian has ticked off every “youngest” record on Formula 1’s list except the last, and the Mexican Grand Prix could complete it Formula 1 has published a checklist of “youngest” records that Kimi Antonelli has already broken: youngest race leader, youngest pole-sitter, youngest championship leader, youngest Grand Slam and youngest fastest lap. Only one box is still empty: youngest champion. That could change today in Mexico City.Andrea Kimi Antonelli, from Bologna, is 20 and in his second Formula 1 season with Mercedes. He took the seat that Lewis Hamilton left, and in 2026 he has gone from rookie to title favorite, putting a more experienced teammate, George Russell, who started the year as the favorite, in the shade. The Records So FarYoungest race leader and fastest lap: in his debut season in 2025, at 18 years and 224 days, he became the youngest driver to lead a race and, the same day in Japan, the youngest to set the fastest lap, according to CNN.Youngest pole-sitter: he took pole at the Chinese Grand Prix in 2026, where he also won his first race.Youngest championship leader: after winning the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29, he became the youngest driver ever to lead the standings, aged 19 years, 7 months and 4 days, beating Hamilton’s record from 2007.Youngest Grand Slam: he took pole, led every lap, won and set the fastest lap at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 23, aged 19, breaking a record previously held by Max Verstappen.Other marks: youngest Sprint winner, youngest driver to win five races in a row and the most wins by a teenager, according to Sportskeeda.What He Needs TodayAntonelli arrives in Mexico after winning the United States Grand Prix at Austin from pole position on October 25, finishing 13 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. That win left him 123 points ahead of Russell and 124 ahead of Hamilton, but not yet champion. The exact combinations depend on what his rivals do. Italian reports say he can clinch the title in Mexico if he leaves the race with a big enough lead, and that this requires a modest result: if Russell wins he must finish ninth or better, and if neither Russell nor Hamilton wins he can clinch the title even with a lower finish. Sources differ slightly on the exact thresholds, so check the final scenarios before publishing. Why It Would Be HistoricIf he wins the title today, Antonelli would be about 20 years and 68 days old. The current record belongs to Sebastian Vettel, who won the title with Red Bull in 2010 at 23 years and 134 days, so he would beat it by almost three years. He would also be the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, ending a 73-year wait for the home country of Ferrari. That makes the story as big in Italy as the record is for the sport. The RaceThe Mexican Grand Prix is held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, a high-altitude circuit. Antonelli has been in front of Mercedes teammate Russell all season. Other drivers who have been strong in recent races are Leclerc, Verstappen and Lando Norris, the defending champion. We will update this story when the race ends. Ph: Mau Mau ltd / Shutterstock.com

 Formula 1 has published a checklist of “youngest” records that Kimi Antonelli has already broken: youngest race leader, youngest pole-sitter, youngest championship leader, youngest Grand Slam and youngest fastest lap. Only one box is still empty: youngest champion. That could change today in Mexico City. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, from Bologna, is 20 and in his second Formula 1 season with Mercedes. He took the seat that Lewis Hamilton left, and in 2026 he has gone from rookie to title favorite, putting a more experienced teammate, George Russell, who started the year as the favorite, in the shade.

• Youngest race leader and fastest lap: in his debut season in 2025, at 18 years and 224 days, he became the youngest driver to lead a race and, the same day in Japan, the youngest to set the fastest lap, according to CNN.
• Youngest pole-sitter: he took pole at the Chinese Grand Prix in 2026, where he also won his first race.
• Youngest championship leader: after winning the Japanese Grand Prix on March 29, he became the youngest driver ever to lead the standings, aged 19 years, 7 months and 4 days, beating Hamilton’s record from 2007.
• Youngest Grand Slam: he took pole, led every lap, won and set the fastest lap at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 23, aged 19, breaking a record previously held by Max Verstappen.
• Other marks: youngest Sprint winner, youngest driver to win five races in a row and the most wins by a teenager, according to Sportskeeda.

Antonelli arrives in Mexico after winning the United States Grand Prix at Austin from pole position on October 25, finishing 13 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. That win left him 123 points ahead of Russell and 124 ahead of Hamilton, but not yet champion. The exact combinations depend on what his rivals do. Italian reports say he can clinch the title in Mexico if he leaves the race with a big enough lead, and that this requires a modest result: if Russell wins he must finish ninth or better, and if neither Russell nor Hamilton wins he can clinch the title even with a lower finish. Sources differ slightly on the exact thresholds, so check the final scenarios before publishing. If he wins the title today, Antonelli would be about 20 years and 68 days old. The current record belongs to Sebastian Vettel, who won the title with Red Bull in 2010 at 23 years and 134 days, so he would beat it by almost three years. He would also be the first Italian world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, ending a 73-year wait for the home country of Ferrari. That makes the story as big in Italy as the record is for the sport. The Mexican Grand Prix is held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, a high-altitude circuit. Antonelli has been in front of Mercedes teammate Russell all season. Other drivers who have been strong in recent races are Leclerc, Verstappen and Lando Norris, the defending champion. We will update this story when the race ends. Ph: Mau Mau ltd / Shutterstock.com