Antonelli Wins in Austin and Stands on the Brink of the Title, Needing Just Two Points in Mexico

Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli has won the United States Grand Prix. His victory in Austin has put him on the brink of the Formula One world championship.

The 20-year-old Antonelli is so far ahead in the points that he will be certain of becoming world champion if he scores just two points in Mexico City next weekend.

The only way he could fail to win the title in Mexico is if his team-mate George Russell or Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton win that race. Even then, Antonelli will guarantee the title if he finishes ninth, or tenth if it is Hamilton who wins.

He arrived in Austin in a strong position in the championship, knowing he would clinch the title if he won with Russell finishing lower than eighth and Hamilton lower than fourth.

Antonelli did his part, but Russell finished eighth and Hamilton fourth, so the wait for the title runs until Mexico. Russell, hampered by a five-second penalty, failed to pass McLaren's Oscar Piastri.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff described Antonelli's race as the best he has delivered so far. In Wolff's words, it was 'the race of a champion who isn't the champion yet', and Antonelli outperformed the car.

Antonelli himself compared it with his win at Monza. At his home grand prix he won from 19th on the grid, where the Mercedes was the fastest car and overtaking was relatively easy, he said.

In his view, the Austin win was better in terms of execution, because the performance was built up throughout the weekend.

Mercedes went to Austin with both cars in the new upgraded specification. On its debut in Malaysia two races ago the package had proved unconvincing, and Wolff thought it had made the car 0.3 seconds per lap slower.

After splitting the cars in Singapore to understand the package better, the team used it on both cars in Austin. Antonelli took pole and dominated the race, while Russell's performance looked more like the one in Malaysia.

Wolff said the update is difficult to operate and Antonelli's driving style glues with the car. On his last qualifying lap Antonelli could have been another 0.15 to 0.2 seconds quicker, Wolff also noted.

When Antonelli clinches the title, he will become the first Italian to do so since Alberto Ascari, the last Italian to win the drivers' championship, in 1952 and 1953.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said Antonelli attacks at all times with aggressive but effective driving and is the deserving leader of the championship. If he wins the title he will be the youngest champion, beating Sebastian Vettel's 2010 record by more than three years.

Antonelli said he will approach Mexico with the same mindset, trying to have as much fun as possible, fight for another win and finish the season on a high.