Kimi Antonelli is just one step away from winning the Formula 1 World Championship. The Bologna-born driver, who resides in San Marino, won the United States Grand Prix, extending his lead over teammate George Russell to 123 points, with 125 still up for grabs.
In Mexico, he will only need to finish in the top nine to secure the title. In Austin, the celebrations were put off by Russell’s eighth-place finish and Lewis Hamilton‘s fourth.
Starting from pole position, Antonelli kept the lead throughout and managed the race with just one pit stop, compared to two for his rivals. Behind him, Charles Leclerc overtook Max Verstappen in the closing stages to claim second place, though without ever threatening the Mercedes driver up front.
“I know we’re very close to winning the championship, but we’d like to finish in style. We want to win more races,” Antonelli said after the victory. On how the race was managed, he added: “The strategic execution was perfect.”
