Kimi Antonelli is on the brink of securing his maiden Formula One world championship after a third-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Italian driver, who could become F1's youngest champion at 20, now has the opportunity to clinch the title at the upcoming round in Austin.
Max Verstappen delivered a dominant performance to win the race at the Marina Bay circuit. Antonelli's podium finish means he leads his Mercedes teammate George Russell by 102 points and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton by 111 points, with six races remaining.
Antonelli will secure the title if he wins in Austin, provided Russell finishes ninth or lower and Hamilton finishes fifth or lower. He expressed confidence for the next race, stating, "The mindset is always the same, to go out there and win and perform the best way I can."
Lewis Hamilton, who finished sixth, apologised to his Ferrari team after a costly decision not to pit under a virtual safety car. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur clarified that the team was not at fault for the decision.