Kimi Antonelli stands on the cusp of history ahead of the United States Grand Prix this weekend, though the Mercedes driver admits that claiming his maiden Formula 1 title requires a "perfect weekend". The Italian driver's stunning sophomore season has produced eight wins and a further six podiums across 17 Grands Prix, putting him within touching distance of the championship.
To secure the crown in Austin, Antonelli needs to take victory in Sunday's Grand Prix while hoping that team mate and nearest rival George Russell finishes no higher than ninth. Additionally, drivers like Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen would need to finish down the order.
It would be a dream. It's something I've dreamt of since I was little,
"It's crazy if you think about it, but that's why I won't think about it," Antonelli said on Thursday's media day when asked about his approach to the weekend. "For me [it] needs to be a perfect weekend and the others, they need to do a poor result, which is unlikely to happen. Of course, anything can happen and it's crazy to think about it."
The young driver revealed that his morning meeting with race engineer Bono focused simply on having fun and maintaining the exact same mindset he has used all year. Sticking to a philosophy of taking it one race at a time, Antonelli aims to do his best every weekend and let the results follow naturally.
Should he achieve the feat this season, Antonelli would beat Sebastian Vettel's record from 2010 to become the youngest driver ever to claim a maiden F1 title at the age of 20. During Thursday's press conference, Hamilton offered praise for Antonelli's stellar season, having worked briefly with the Italian during his final campaign with Mercedes in 2024 before Antonelli's arrival in the sport.
Reflecting on what it would mean to follow in the footsteps of a seven-time World Champion, Antonelli kept his focus locked on the task ahead. "It would be a dream. It's something I've dreamt of since I was little," he said. "Firstly, to find myself in such a position is incredible but at the same time, I need to keep going and pushing. It's not over yet. First we'll try to finish the job properly and then we can enjoy the rest but for sure will be an incredible achievement. But there's still a bit to go."
