Kimi Antonelli can secure the Formula One world championship at the Mexico City Grand Prix with a ninth-place finish or better, needing just two points to make his title official.
The Mercedes driver won in Austin, but results elsewhere kept the title mathematically open. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell scored enough points to remain in contention, although the gap is now enormous.
What Antonelli needs in Mexico
Antonelli leads Russell by 123 points, with Hamilton one point further back. With only 125 points left available, the margin is slim in terms of the remaining total.
That total assumes the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds take place. If they are replaced by a season finale at Imola, Antonelli would be crowned automatically.
Assuming those races go ahead, Antonelli still has work to do. In Mexico City, he no longer depends on other drivers dropping points, as his title bid is in his own hands.
Two points enough
Scoring two points in Mexico would ensure that even if Russell wins the race, his Mercedes team-mate would be out of reach. A ninth-placed finish would therefore confirm Antonelli's champion status.
Antonelli said after his win in Austin: "We are very close. We try to finish on a high and hopefully we can clinch it very soon."
