Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli moved within reach of the 2026 Formula 1 world championship after winning the United States Grand Prix from pole position in Austin. The 20-year-old Italian leads team-mate George Russell by 123 points in the standings and will secure the title at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday by finishing ninth or higher.
Antonelli's dominant season
Antonelli has won nine races this season compared to Russell's three, delivering standout performances in Monaco, Monza and Austin. While the Mercedes has been the strongest car on average, Antonelli has been the only driver consistently extracting its potential. Team principal Toto Wolff acknowledged Russell's struggles with the new upgrade package introduced in Malaysia, saying the team must find a set-up that suits the British driver. Wolff insisted Russell remains a champion-calibre driver but admitted the performance gap is not reflective of his true ability.
Hamilton targets African Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton reiterated in Austin his desire to continue racing until Formula 1 returns to Africa, with a Grand Prix planned for Rwanda in the early 2030s. The 39-year-old, whose current Ferrari contract runs until the end of 2027, would need a further three-year extension to reach 2030, when he would be 45. Hamilton's long-term presence at Ferrari, alongside Charles Leclerc's extended deal, raises questions about the progression of Ferrari academy drivers such as Oliver Bearman, who is yet to finalise a new contract with Haas for 2026. Brazilian Rafael Camara is set to join Haas in 2027, increasing competition for a future top-team seat.
Albon faces challenges at Williams
At Williams, Carlos Sainz leads team-mate Alex Albon by two points in the championship, with a qualifying head-to-head of 13-5 in Sainz's favour, though the average time gap is just 0.115 seconds. Albon cited a crash in Canada that wrote off a new engine, as well as ongoing inconsistencies between the two Williams cars, as factors behind his difficult season. The team has struggled with part quality and degradation, making direct driver comparisons difficult. Fernando Alonso criticised Albon after a first-lap collision in Austin, questioning the quality of drivers in the lower third of the grid.
UK broadcast rights remain behind paywall
Regarding free-to-air coverage in the UK, Sky Sports holds exclusive live rights until the end of 2034, with Channel 4 showing highlights and live coverage of the British Grand Prix. The recent deal, coupled with Apple acquiring US rights, makes a return to full free-to-air broadcasting unlikely, despite Formula 1 remaining free-to-air in some markets such as Brazil.
