Kimi Antonelli misses Mexico City media day ahead of likely world title
Mercedes driver is unwell but could seal the F1 championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday.
Kimi Antonelli will miss Thursday's Mexico City Grand Prix media day with a viral illness. The Mercedes driver can become Formula 1's youngest world champion if he finishes ninth or better on Sunday.
Key takeaways
- Antonelli will miss Thursday's Mexico City media day with a viral illness
- Mercedes expects him to return on Friday
- He can become F1's youngest world champion at 20 years old
- Ninth place is enough if George Russell wins the race
- Valtteri Bottas will also miss media day for Cadillac
Kimi Antonelli will miss Thursday's Mexico City Grand Prix media day because of a viral illness, BBC Sport reported. The Mercedes driver stands on the brink of clinching his first world title at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Sunday.
Why it matters
Antonelli leads Mercedes team-mate George Russell by 123 points in the drivers' championship, BBC Sport said. A top-nine finish will make him Formula 1's youngest world champion at 20 years old, breaking Sebastian Vettel's record by three years, Sky Sports reported.
He will take the title if Russell or Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton does not win the race. Ninth would be enough for Antonelli to become champion if it is Russell, and 10th if it is Hamilton.
What happens next
Mercedes said Antonelli had been excused his duties on Thursday by the FIA as a precaution to give him the chance to rest ahead of the weekend, BBC Sport reported. "We expect him to be back tomorrow," a Mercedes spokesperson said.
The Italian has won nine races this season and consistently had the upper hand on Russell, Sky Sports said. Formula 1 heads to the Mexico City Grand Prix this weekend, with practice on Friday and the race on Sunday, Sky Sports said.
Antonelli is expected to return to media duties on Friday, Mercedes said. Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas will also miss media day as he is unwell, according to Cadillac, and resting before Friday's track action.
There are rumours Bottas' seat is under threat, despite having signed a multi-year contract which is understood to run until the end of 2027, as he has been outperformed by team-mate Sergio Perez.
Formula 2 driver Colton Herta, from America, will take make his fifth practice outing for Cadillac this season in Bottas' absence. On Wednesday, Cadillac announced a new contract for Perez, who will stay with the team until at least 2029.
They made no mention of Bottas' future in the announcement, and are said by insiders to be considering whether to promote their American reserve driver Colton Herta into F1.
Herta is having his fifth outing of the year in practice on Friday at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, as the team seek to earn him enough mileage to secure the so-called super licence that is required to race in F1.
Herta, previously a front-runner in the US-based Indycar championship, moved to Formula 2 this year with the intention of preparing himself for F1. His season has not gone well and he is currently 19th in the standings with a best result of fifth place.
However, Cadillac feel he has shown more potential in his F1 outings, which also include a number of runs in cars from previous years. No decision has been made on whether Bottas or Herta will partner Perez in 2027.
Antonelli title scenarios at Mexico City GP
Condition | Antonelli result needed |
|---|---|
Russell wins | Ninth |
Hamilton wins | Tenth |
Neither wins | Any finish |
Related on Apex Sports News
Sources
Topics
Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy or use the flag button above. Our editorial standards explain how we report.
Related stories
Discussion
Sign in or create a free account to join the discussion. Please follow our community guidelines.