The race weekend at the Circuit of the Americas delivered a stark contrast in performance inside the Mercedes garage, as Kimi Antonelli moved to the brink of securing his maiden Formula 1 world championship crown. The 20-year-old secured his ninth victory of the campaign with immense maturity, successfully withstanding early pressure despite starting the race on the theoretically slower medium tyre compound.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was full of praise, declaring the performance in Austin as his driver's absolute finest drive. Wolff highlighted the young Italian's ability to control proceedings flawlessly while sticking to a calculated one-stop strategy amid intense competition from rival outfits.
"It was his best win, resisting early pressure despite starting on the slower medium tyre and then simply controlling affairs," Wolff stated, reflecting on a masterclass that sets the stage for a historic weekend in Mexico City.
Preparations for the championship celebration, including pre-made merchandise and celebratory beverages, must now be shifted to the Mexican capital. Mathematical permutations mean Antonelli only needs to salvage a modest haul of points next weekend to officially eclipse Sebastian Vettel as the youngest world champion in the history of the sport.
Conversely, the atmosphere on the other side of the pit wall remained deeply gloomy for George Russell after an underwhelming run to eighth place. The Briton struggled heavily with the handling window of his machine during the opening phase of the grand prix.
"Six good laps, 50 bad laps. I want to understand why the pace was so bad on the first stint," Russell lamented, underscoring the ongoing struggles he faces in extracting consistent pace compared to his teammate.
Read Also
Kimi Antonelli amankan kemenangan dominan di GP Amerika 2026 atasi tekanan Verstappen. Simak ulasan lengkap dan jalannya strategi lomba di sini.
Red Bull akui masalah start F1 baru beres 2027. Simak analisis mendalam, keluhan Isack Hadjar, dan kendala teknis tim di sini!
Fernando Alonso kritik tajam kualitas pembalap F1 usai insiden di GP Amerika 2026. Baca analisis mendalam dan update lengkapnya di sini!
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!