Antonelli wins Texas race, gaps rivals

Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix on Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The 20-year-old Italian driver finished the 56-lap race in 1 hour, 35 minutes, and 16.650 seconds. It was his ninth win of the season and his first victory in the United States this year. He now holds a 123-point lead over his Mercedes teammate, George Russell.

Antonelli started from pole position and held off Charles Leclerc, who finished second, 13.078 seconds behind. Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing took third place, 17.485 seconds off the pace. The race strategy separated Antonelli from the rest of the field. While most competitors made two pit stops, Antonelli waited until Lap 25 for a single stop and did not return to the pits. He credited his team for the decision.

"It was a perfect way to end the weekend; it was an incredible team effort, especially from strategy to believe in me and go for one stop," Antonelli said. The one-stop plan allowed him to manage the gap to his rivals. A Virtual Safety Car was triggered on Lap 52 when Valtteri Bottas's Cadillac stopped on the track. The caution period lasted until the penultimate lap, but it did not threaten Antonelli's position.

George Russell must win the next race in Mexico City to remain in the championship hunt. If he does not win, the title will go to Antonelli. Five races remain on the calendar. Antonelli has dominated the season, which is his second year in Formula One. He previously won five consecutive Grands Prix earlier this year, including the race in Miami.

Max Verstappen, a four-time world champion, is now mathematically out of the title fight. He will go two years without a championship after winning every title from 2021 to 2024. Verstappen said his team's pace was not good enough and that the available tires were not the right choice. He noted that the podium finish may have involved some luck due to the late race caution.

Mercedes also widened its lead in the constructors' championship. The team now holds 607 points, which is 133 points ahead of Ferrari's 474. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff called the race Antonelli's best performance so far. Wolff said Antonelli controlled the race despite starting with the inferior tire compound. Antonelli agreed that the execution in Texas was better than his win at Monza, where the car was clearly the fastest.

The next race is scheduled for Las Vegas in November. Antonelli said he is aware the championship is close but that his mindset has not changed. He wants to finish the season on a high note to enter 2027 with high hopes.