Karmactive Staff
Kimi Antonelli left the Circuit of The Americas having turned every rival into a bystander. The 20-year-old Italian’s win at the 2026 United States Grand Prix on Sunday, October 25, was the most dominant performance of his second F1 season—and a 21-point swing in Antonelli’s favour over nearest championship rival George Russell.
Official classification — 2026 United States Grand Prix:
1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) — 1:35:16.650 | 25 pts
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) — +13.078 sec | 18 pts
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) — +17.485 sec | 15 pts
4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) — +18.515 sec | 12 pts
5. Lando Norris (McLaren) — +30.521 sec | 10 pts
6. Isack Hadjar | 7. Oscar Piastri | 8. George Russell (Mercedes)
DNF: Oliver Bearman, Franco Colapinto, Valtteri Bottas
For fans following the 2026 F1 Drivers’ Championship, Antonelli’s Austin win extends his lead over Russell to 123 points—365 to his rival’s 242. Hamilton is third on 241, Verstappen fourth on 236. Antonelli needs only two points in Mexico City to clinch his first Drivers’ Championship.
One Stop Beats Two
Strategy decided the margin. Antonelli ran mediums to his single pit stop, then put on hard tyres for the rest of the race. The majority of rivals, including Verstappen and Leclerc, made two stops. When a Virtual Safety Car was deployed in the closing stages, Antonelli was already in clear air with enough tyre life to hold on. The VSC neutralized the remaining gap and left him untouchable.
The 2026 F1 season standings, updated after Austin, show Antonelli extending his advantage at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. F1 2026 season coverage has tracked his development through to his late-season dominance.
In Austin’s F1 Academy event, Alisha Palmowski was crowned the 2026 champion ahead of the Grand Prix weekend. Alba Hurup Larsen won the final race. Palmowski becomes the first British driver to claim the F1 Academy title.
Look at the gap between the two Mercedes drivers on identical machinery. Antonelli started from pole and won by 13.078 seconds. George Russell started sixth and finished eighth—54.303 seconds behind his teammate—after a five-second penalty for a lap-one violation. The penalty compounded the gap, but the underlying pace difference across the full race distance was substantial.
Who won the 2026 United States Grand Prix in Austin?
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 US Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas from pole position, finishing 13.078 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc and 17.485 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) finished fourth, Lando Norris fifth.
The Formula 1 calendar continues with the Mexico City Grand Prix, the second race of the Americas triple-header, where Antonelli will carry his championship lead forward.
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Related coverage: Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 spectator guide.
Reporting for this update was checked against an official source.
