Kimi Antonelli caught off guard by major F1 title news after Singapore GP

October 11, 2026 7 Min Read

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After a grueling 2026 Singapore Grand Prix, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team driver Kimi Antonelli crossed the line in third place to secure another crucial podium. While Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen dominated the race to take victory ahead of Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, Antonelli’s podium officially sets the stage for a massive championship crown.

During post-race interviews, former world champion Jenson Button informed the young rookie that he mathematically had the opportunity to clinch the world drivers’ championship at the next race in Austin, Texas.

A calculated podium for Antonelli

Despite having serious and well-documented braking issues on the grid before the race, Antonelli competed in a very opportunistic event. The Italian driver finally secured his place on the podium by capitalizing on a fierce on-track battle between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

“Yeah, I mean, it was a very tough race, but I’m really happy with the podium at the end,” Antonelli told Button after the race. “I managed to take advantage of Lando and Lewis’ fight, and make progress on both, and to bring home P3 is a great result for the team.”

Austin’s Melee Scenario

Although Antonelli was clearly pleased with the on-track result, he was truly caught off guard when Button explicitly pointed out that the upcoming United States Grand Prix could serve as his official championship title.

“Can I?” Really ? Antonelli responded with complete surprise. “Well, let’s not worry about that.”

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images

Rather than jumping ahead or aggressively predicting a title celebration in Texas, the championship leader remains strictly focused on running a clean race at the Circuit of the Americas.

“Let’s try to have the best weekend possible and finish the job,” concluded Antonelli.