Ailing Kimi Antonelli nears F1 title in Mexico and will make history as youngest champion

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Kimi Antonelli arrived in Mexico with the Formula 1 title well within his grasp. Despite a viral infection which was keeping him away from the track, he is set to be crowned the youngest champion in the sport’s history on Sunday.

Antonelli missed Thursday's media session while recovering, but Mercedes expects him back for Friday's first practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix.

To secure the title and break the record set by Sebastian Vettel — the youngest champion to date at 23 in 2010 — Antonelli needs only to finish ninth or better.

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. That’s always the mindset, and that’s what it will be from now until the end of the season. . “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 — though that would need a big points haul for Antonelli and Russell, combined with a disastrous race for second-place Ferrari.

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 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.

“I think, at least in terms of my own approach, we’re not like boxers in a ring fighting directly against someone else,” Russell said of his relationship with Antonelli. “We’re essentially competing against ourselves. It’s the work and preparation you put in personally that makes the difference to a good performance”.

Colton Herta will take the wheel of Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac for Friday's first practice, with Bottas' future still unclear.

Cadillac has yet to score a point since joining F1 this year, and its debut season has included some painful learning experiences included a long-running problem with the brakes overheating.

Sergio Pérez recently signed a two-year contract extension through 2029, but Cadillac has yet to confirm whether Bottas will stay with him. Herta would give the American team an American driver, but the former IndyCar prodigy has had a disappointing year in Formula 2 and is just 19th in the standings.

“I think he is doing a good job. He is bringing good feedback to the team, good information, which is all that we need of him,” Pérez said of Herta on Thursday. “Obviously, it’s very difficult to showcase your speed or your true level during FP1 sessions. But now that he’s had a bit more time in the car, we’re starting to see more of his speed.”

Pérez, who reaches the milestone of 300 Grand Prix starts on Sunday, declined to express a preference.

“Obviously, it’s not my decision; it’s up to Marcin (Budkowski, team principal) to decide who they want in the car,” Pérez added. “I’m also working really well with Valtteri. I think he’s been quite unlucky in a few races. It’s not an easy decision for the team.”

The 2,240-meter (7,350-foot) altitude above sea level in Mexico City will pose a challenge for participants in the Mexico City Grand Prix. According to Mercedes’ George Russell, the Ferrari team could have an advantage.

At this altitude, thin air starves the engines of oxygen—resulting in a loss of power—and makes it more difficult to prevent vehicle components, such as the brakes, from overheating.

“It’s going to be very interesting,” said Russell. “I think turbo lag is going to be a major factor for many teams this weekend. It’s no secret that teams like Ferrari use a smaller turbo than most, so they likely have a significant advantage in this regard.”

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