Antonelli wins in Texas, leads Russell by 123 points
The 20-year-old Italian secured his ninth win of the season with a one-stop strategy, leaving five races on the calendar.
By Adewale Rousseau ·
Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday. The 20-year-old Italian driver claimed his ninth victory of the season with a time of 1:35:16.650. Charles Leclerc of Monaco finished second, trailing by 13.078 seconds.
The result expanded Antonelli's advantage in the drivers' championship to 123 points over his Mercedes teammate, George Russell. With five races left on the schedule, Russell must win the next event in Mexico City to remain in the title fight. If Russell fails to take that victory, Antonelli will be crowned world champion.
Strategy determined the outcome over the 56-lap race. While competitors used two pit stops, Antonelli stayed on track until Lap 25. He made a single stop and completed the race without returning to the pits. Antonelli credited his team for trusting the one-stop approach, calling it an incredible effort to support his drive.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing took third place, finishing 17.485 seconds behind the winner. The four-time champion is now mathematically eliminated from this year's title race. He will go two years without a world championship. Verstappen said his car lacked the right pace and tires, though he noted a Virtual Safety Car near the end helped secure the podium.
The Virtual Safety Car was triggered on Lap 52 when Valtteri Bottas's Cadillac stopped on the track. It remained active until the penultimate lap. By that point, no driver could catch Antonelli, who had built a sufficient gap.
Mercedes also extended its lead in the constructors' standings. The team now holds 607 points, which is 133 points ahead of Ferrari's 474. Antonelli has won both United States races on this year's calendar, including the Las Vegas Grand Prix scheduled for November.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff called the performance the best race Antonelli has produced this year. Wolff described the drive as exceptional, noting that Antonelli controlled the race despite starting with the inferior tire. Antonelli agreed that the execution in Austin was better than his previous wins, including his home race at Monza, because the team built performance consistently across the weekend.
Source: Al Jazeera
