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Kimi Antonelli wins US Grand Prix, leads by 123 points

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix from pole, his ninth career victory.
He finished 13.078 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc, with Max Verstappen third.
Antonelli leads the championship by 123 points over George Russell and 124 over Lewis Hamilton with five races left.
A top-nine finish in Mexico City would make him champion, the youngest ever and first Italian since 1953.

Summary

Mercedes stuck to a one-stop strategy on medium tyres, trusting data over Verstappen’s two-stop plan.
Andrew Shovlin said Friday’s practice pace was “tractor-like,” making a Sunday win seem impossible.
The Malaysia-origin upgrade narrowed the W17’s setup window, confusing drivers and engineers alike.
George Russell called the car “rubbish” after finishing eighth, highlighting intra-team disparity.
A Safety Car ran from lap 52 after Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac stopped, ending on the last lap.

History

Alberto Ascari’s back-to-back titles in 1952 and 1953 made him Ferrari’s first and, as of 2025, the only Italian World Drivers’ Champion, winning 13 Grand Prix races in six seasons. His dominance set a record margin that still defines Italy’s long-standing championship drought, a pattern echoed in modern teams’ quests for renewed national success.

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Alberto Ascari’s back-to-back titles in 1952 and 1953 made him Ferrari’s first and, as of 2025, the only Italian World Drivers’ Champion, winning 13 Grand Prix races in six seasons. His dominance set a record margin that still defines Italy’s long-standing championship drought, a pattern echoed in modern teams’ quests for renewed national success.

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