Kimi Antonelli claimed a commanding victory at the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas, taking another major step towards his first Formula 1 World Championship title. The Mercedes driver celebrated his ninth victory of the season, finishing ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Starting from pole position, Antonelli delivered an impressive performance. The young Italian took control of the race from the start and maintained his lead throughout most of the 56-lap contest. A successful one-stop strategy helped him secure victory with a comfortable margin of more than 13 seconds. Behind him, an exciting battle unfolded for the remaining podium positions. Charles Leclerc secured second place with a strong overtaking move in the closing stages, pushing Max Verstappen down to third. Lewis Hamilton completed a successful weekend for Ferrari in fourth place, while Lando Norris finished fifth for McLaren. Race Results – Top 10: Kimi Antonelli – Mercedes Charles Leclerc – Ferrari Max Verstappen – Red Bull Lewis Hamilton – Ferrari Lando Norris – McLaren Isack Hadjar – Red Bull Oscar Piastri – McLaren George Russell – Mercedes Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls Pierre Gasly – Alpine World Championship Battle Remains Open With his ninth victory of the season, Antonelli extended his lead in the Drivers’ World Championship to 123 points over his Mercedes teammate George Russell. However, the title has not yet been mathematically decided, as Russell’s eighth-place finish and Hamilton’s fourth-place result kept the championship battle technically alive. Formula 1 now heads directly to Mexico City for the Mexican Grand Prix on November 1, 2026, where Antonelli could officially secure his maiden Formula 1 World Championship title.