How Kimi Antonelli can clinch the 2026 title in Mexico City

Kimi Antonelli becomes the 2026 world champion in Mexico City on Sunday, November 1 if he finishes ninth or better, or if neither George Russell nor Lewis Hamilton wins the race. That is how BBC Sport and Sky Sports both lay it out after his win in Austin.

The starting point

After the United States Grand Prix, the official drivers' standings show Antonelli on 365 points, Russell on 242 and Hamilton on 241. That is a lead of 123 points over Russell and 124 over Hamilton.

Sky Sports says Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris can no longer win the title, which leaves Russell and Hamilton as the only drivers who can still stop Antonelli. After Mexico City, four races remain, Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, with a maximum of 100 points available, according to Sky Sports.

The math

A win is worth 25 points. Antonelli needs to leave Mexico City with a lead larger than the 100 points still available afterward.

• If Russell wins and scores 25, Antonelli keeps a big enough lead with ninth place, which pays 2 points. The BBC says he is champion as long as he does not lose more than 23 points to Russell.
• If Hamilton wins, Antonelli can lose up to 24 points to him, so tenth place, worth 1 point, is enough, the BBC says.
• If neither Russell nor Hamilton wins, neither can gain enough, and Antonelli is champion wherever he finishes.

In practice, Sky Sports notes, Russell or Hamilton would need to win all five remaining races while Antonelli failed to score two points for him to lose the title.

The constructors' title

Mercedes leads Ferrari by 133 points and also has a first mathematical chance to clinch the teams' title in Mexico City, Sky Sports reports, though it calls that a very tall order that would require Mercedes to outscore Ferrari by 39 points.

Race start times in your time zone are in our Mexico City race times guide.