Formula One contender Kimi Antonelli has the chance to secure the world championship this weekend at the US Grand Prix in Austin. If the 20-year-old secures the title on Sunday, he will surpass the record held by Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he became champion in 2010—the same year a four-year-old Antonelli first encountered the sport.
Antonelli faces a narrow path to victory that requires a win combined with specific results from his rivals. To clinch the championship early, his teammate George Russell must finish outside the top eight, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton must rank below the top four.
Despite the immense stakes, Antonelli is maintaining a calm demeanor under the guidance of his race engineer, Pete Bonnington, who previously steered Hamilton through six title-winning campaigns. “We had a meeting with Bono this morning and we said: ‘Just have fun’,” Antonelli shared. “It’s the same mindset I’ve had all year. One race at a time. Just try to do the best I can every race weekend, and then we’ll see.” Nonetheless, while Antonelli knows the title race is effectively over, he is keeping the cool head that has brought him to this point with such alacrity. Helmed by his race engineer Pete Bonnington, who was alongside Hamilton for his six titles with the team, is steady as she goes, the Mercedes ship.
Reflecting on his rapid ascent to the front of the grid after a challenging rookie season, the young Italian noted the unique pressures of the sport. “Formula One is different because the pressure is a lot bigger than in anything else,” he said. “The competition is a little bit higher as well because you’re racing with 21 of the best drivers in the world. But when you fight for championships in karting and junior series, the mindset is very similar in the way you approach races and the way you think.” I know that can be part of sport but it’s also further damage from the cars that we had the last few years.
While the focus remains on the title fight, the Circuit of the Americas—which has hosted races since 2012 and holds a contract through 2034—is facing significant backlash from the field. Drivers claim the track’s surface, built on unstable marshland, is dangerous due to persistent, severe bumps that punish their bodies. However, the circuit has drawn unusually severe criticism from drivers, going into the weekend. The bumps caused by the ground beneath the tarmac have been condemned in Austin as potentially harmful, with the uneven surface forcing impacts into the base of the drivers’ spines, built on marshland.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull labeled the conditions “unacceptable,” arguing that past maintenance efforts have been insufficient. “Over time they’ve been grinding a little bit here and there but it’s just putting a plaster on the big problem,” Verstappen stated. “You need to really fully open up the track… these bumps are not natural and they are out of control.” He added that physical checks on his own spine have revealed negative health impacts directly tied to the repetitive, jarring vibrations. He feels able to draw on previous experience, but as he looks to close it out. With sold-out crowds, but the track has come under intense scrutiny, it has become hugely popular. “From the checks that I’ve done from my spine, the bottom end doesn’t look that great.
Reigning champion Lando Norris supported these concerns, expressing frustration that persistent driver feedback has been ignored. “It’s pretty bad.
There’s a lot of places I need to take headache tablets before I go out simply because it’s so bumpy and you’re hitting your head pretty hard against the headrest,” Norris explained. “So it’s certainly not a nice thing. There’s not much we can do. I mean, we complain about it, it’s stuff we’ve brought up many, many times but there’s only so much we can complain about things.”
