What does Kimi Antonelli need to win F1 title at Mexican City GP 2026?
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The 2026 World Drivers’ Championship will be decided this weekend.
Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli has been leading the 2026 World Drivers’ Standings comfortably for a large part of the season. Kimi was on track to clinch the title at the United States Grand Prix last weekend at COTA, but Kimi was unable to build a gap of 125 points needed to secure the title.
On the other hand, his teammate George Russell finished eighth, and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished fourth to keep their respective title hopes alive for at least one more weekend.
Before the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, let us take a look at what Kimi needs to do to secure his maiden World Drivers’ Championship.
Catch Every Update, Anytime, Anywhere
Kimi Antonelli has a lead of 123 points over George Russell
Going into the Mexican GP, Kimi has a lead of 123 points over his teammate, while he is 124 points ahead of Hamilton. If Kimi finishes the race this weekend in any position from 1st to 9th, he will secure his maiden World title in his second season.
On the other hand, if Kimi finishes 10th and Russell finishes anywhere other than P1, Kimi will mathematically be able to secure the title. Additionally, he will also secure the title if he finishes P11 or lower and neither Hamilton nor Russell is able to win the race.
On the other hand, the scenarios for Russell and Hamilton to still win the title are mathematically possible but very bleak. Hamilton can still win the title in 2026 if he manages to win every remaining race in the season while Kimi scores zero points in all of them and Russell finishes second or lower.
Similarly, Russell needs to finish every race with a win and hope Kimi and Lewis are unable to score points in order to clinch his maiden title.
Additionally, if Kimi clinches his maiden F1 title, then reigning World Champion Lando Norris will lose his crown with four races still to go in the season. This would be the earliest a reigning Champion has been dethroned in 34 years, after Ayrton Senna lost the title to Nigel Mansell with five races remaining in 1992.
Round 19 will take place in Mexico City
The 2026 Mexican GP will be held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City. FP1 and FP2 will be held on Friday from 12:30 local time. Meanwhile, FP3 and Qualifying will be held on Saturday.
The race will commence on Sunday at 14:00 local time. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has the most race wins at the Grand Prix, while McLaren’s Lando Norris won the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix.
Can Kimi Antonelli clinch the F1 World Drivers’ Championship at the Mexican GP?
Yes, Antonelli is guaranteed to be crowned World Champion regardless of where he finishes.
Who are Kimi Antonelli’s main rivals for the F1 World Drivers’ Championship?
His main rival for the World Drivers’ title is his teammate George Russell and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.