Mercedes' 20-year-old Italian driver Kimi Antonelli leads the Formula 1 championship by 123 points after winning nine of the season's 18 races. A top-nine finish at the Mexico City Grand Prix, at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, would be enough to make him the youngest champion in Formula 1 history and the first Italian champion since 1953. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff described the title as 99.9 per cent secure and said the triumph would be celebrated with a big tequila or caipirinha party.
The title is within touching distance. "I'm going to approach it with the same mindset, just trying to have as much fun as possible, trying to hopefully fight for another win..." Antonelli said. "It would be best to finish on a high, and that's the goal." The same race will also see Cadillac's veteran Mexican driver Sergio Perez start his 300th grand prix in front of his home fans.
