Kimi Antonelli expressed newfound optimism about winning his first Formula One world championship following his third-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix, which positioned him to potentially secure the title in the next race in Austin. Max Verstappen clinched victory with a commanding performance at the Marina Bay circuit, while Antonelli’s podium finish places him on track to become F1's youngest champion at age 20, just two weeks away.
Currently leading his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, by 102 points and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton by 111, Antonelli has a clear path to the championship. With six races remaining and 25 points available for each race win, he could secure the title if he wins in Austin, Russell finishes ninth or lower, and Hamilton finishes fifth or lower.
Asked if he dared to dream about achieving his childhood ambition of becoming champion, Antonelli smiled and confirmed he did. “For sure,” he said. “I know it’s very close, I know it’s there but I just need to make sure that I keep doing the best I can. The mindset is always the same, to go out there and win and perform the best way I can.”
Despite Mercedes being outpaced by Red Bull in Singapore and still working to maximize recent upgrades, Antonelli is confident in more to come in Texas. “This weekend I haven’t particularly driven that well,” he admitted. “I felt like I could have done a better job but I feel confident that a week to reset and I’m really looking forward to being back in Austin. But at the end of the day, if I don’t do my job well, then the result won’t come. So in order to achieve what I want, I need to perform, as simple as that.”
Hamilton, who finished sixth, apologized to his Ferrari team after his decision to stay out under the virtual safety car proved costly, leaving him vulnerable with worn tires. Although unwell after the race and excused from media duties, Ferrari relayed his comment: “A painful lesson today but I take full responsibility for the decisions I made,” the 41-year-old said. “Not every call will work out and I can accept getting it wrong but I’m sorry for the team for the points we lost today.”
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur clarified that the team was not at fault. “We were P2, P3 on track, we called two of our guys to pit behind the VSC, one of our guys said: ‘No I prefer to stay on track’, or he missed pit entry. Don’t blame the team,” he noted.
Read next
Browns Remain the Browns, and Deshaun Watson Stays True to Himself
On a day anticipated to be a celebration of Deshaun Watson's return, the New York Jets were not quite prepared for the reality of the game. Fans had hoped for a triumphant performance from Watson, which would have reinforced the Cleveland Browns' status as Super Bowl contenders.
Eliud Kipchoge Triumphs in His First Marathon in Three Years, Claiming His Body Is Still at Its Best
Eliud Kipchoge, often regarded as Marathon's greatest competitor, has announced to the next generation of athletes that he remains active in the sport. The 41-year-old Kenyan celebrated his impressive debut at the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday, setting a new race record and captivating thousands of fans
Canelo Álvarez Undeterred by Safety Concerns, Confirms Riyadh Fight Amid Security Concerns, Says Al-Sheikh
Canelo Álvarez plans to proceed with his scheduled world title fight in Saudi Arabia, despite recent deadly attacks in the region, as stated by Turki al-Sheikh, a prominent Saudi official in the boxing world.
The Mexican boxer is set to challenge the undefeated Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-