Max Verstappen claimed a spectacular victory in Mexico City on Sunday, holding off Lewis Hamilton in a chaotic race full of incidents, penalties and dramatic twists. The Red Bull driver crossed the finish line ahead of Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli, who secured third place and, more importantly, officially became the youngest world champion in history at just 20 years old. It was a memorable afternoon for motorsport, with Verstappen celebrating another victory while a new generation of champion was crowned.
The opening lap immediately delivered fireworks. Starting from pole position, Hamilton initially looked set to control the race, but Charles Leclerc attacked aggressively and managed to take the lead after running off the track. Under the special instructions issued before the start, drivers were required to return positions gained by leaving the circuit, but Leclerc did not give the place back. The Ferrari driver subsequently received a five-second penalty, turning his promising start into a strategic headache. Verstappen also made excellent progress, quickly moving into contention at the front.
The first major strategic turning point arrived during the pit-stop phase. Leclerc entered the pits from the lead on lap 27 to serve his penalty, allowing Verstappen to take advantage and move ahead. Antonelli also briefly found himself leading as the different strategies played out, while Hamilton remained firmly in the fight. However, the race was far from settled. A huge crash involving Valtteri Bottas damaged the barriers and forced officials to bring out the red flag, interrupting the action and giving the teams an opportunity to rethink their strategies.
After the restart, Verstappen maintained control, but Hamilton was determined to challenge for victory. The Ferrari driver kept closing the gap and repeatedly looked for an opportunity to attack, putting the Red Bull under enormous pressure during the closing stages. Another Safety Car period followed a collision involving Arvid Lindblad and Oscar Piastri, setting up a tense final restart. Verstappen managed to defend his position brilliantly, resisting Hamilton’s attacks all the way to the chequered flag.
Behind the leading pair, Antonelli delivered exactly the performance he needed. The Mercedes youngster kept his composure throughout the chaos, securing third place and enough points to clinch the 2026 championship with four rounds still remaining. At 20 years, two months and seven days old, he broke Sebastian Vettel’s record to become the youngest world champion in history. Charles Leclerc finished fourth ahead of Lando Norris, George Russell and Oscar Piastri, while Franco Colapinto and Liam Lawson also scored valuable points.
For Verstappen, this victory represents another important result in his impressive late-season comeback. He started fifth, survived a chaotic opening, benefited from the strategic twists and then resisted Hamilton’s relentless pressure to take the win. But the biggest story of the afternoon belonged to Antonelli. After an extraordinary season, the Italian has finally reached the top of the motorsport world, making history before his 21st birthday. Verstappen conquered Mexico, Hamilton came agonisingly close to victory, but Antonelli was the one who left Mexico City as a world champion.
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