If Kimi Antonelli was still feeling the effects of an illness that kept him from a media session, it certainly didn’t show on the track.
Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli ahead of practice (REUTERS) The 20-year-old Mercedes driver — who is aiming to become the youngest champion in Formula 1 history this weekend — finished second and fourth in the two practice sessions for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Friday.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped both sessions to show continued strong form, having finished third in the last two races.
Antonelli, who has the Formula 1 title well within his grasp, missed a media session on Thursday due to a viral infection. But he looked good in his first shot at the Mexico City Hermanos Rodríguez race track.
To secure the title and break the record set by Sebastian Vettel — the youngest champion at 23 in 2010 — Antonelli can finish as low as ninth on Sunday.
Antonelli wants to seal the deal with another big result, but he could also do it without scoring another point if someone other than Lewis Hamilton or George Russell wins Sunday’s race.
“I’m very excited. I would love to clinch the title in style with a great result,” Antonelli said after taking his ninth win of the season in Texas last week. “That’s the mindset. I’m just going to try to enjoy every moment because they’re moments that will always be remembered.”
Antonelli can also become the first Italian driver to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953. Mercedes can clinch the constructors’ title on Sunday for the first time since 2021.
Mercedes hit the ground running under this season’s new regulations, with George Russell’s victory at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Defying predictions that this would be Russell’s year, Antonelli surged ahead by winning five consecutive races as his teammate faded. Russell struggled to explain his lack of pace after finishing eighth in Austin last week.
Hamilton’s woes in Mexico Hamilton finished fourth in the first practice session, and it looked like it might be a good day for the the seven-time world champion. However, he reported a loss of power roughly halfway through the second session.
“Something is wrong with the car,” Hamilton said over the radio. “I lost all power at turn 13.”
Ferrari team officials told him to pull off the track and bring his car to a stop.
Verstappen and Lawson get into it During the second practice session, t
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