Mexico City Grand Prix 2026: Antonelli's Title, Verstappen's Win and Our F1 Review

By Drew | The Motorsport Files | 6 November 2026 |

The 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix gave us a new Formula 1 World Champion, a memorable win for Max Verstappen and another Ferrari weekend that left plenty of questions unanswered. It also gave me a great deal to talk about with Peter Scott, who joins me for this episode of The Motorsport Files.

Kimi Antonelli secured the 2026 Drivers' Championship at just 20 years old, becoming the youngest World Champion in Formula 1 history and the first Italian to take the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953. Verstappen won the race, holding off Lewis Hamilton by just 0.799 seconds, while Antonelli finished third to seal the championship.

In this Mexico City Grand Prix 2026 review episode, Peter and I look beyond the finishing order. We talk about what makes Antonelli such an impressive driver, why George Russell's season has become increasingly difficult, the tension between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, and how Red Bull have turned their fortunes around. We also get into Cadillac, McLaren, Racing Bulls, Alpine and what might be next for several drivers.

A new voice on The Motorsport Files

Before getting into the racing, it was great to welcome Peter Scott properly to the show. Peter is joining me as co-host in the short term while Zac takes a step back. We are hoping Zac will be back with us next season, but Peter brings a different perspective and a wealth of experience that I think will add something valuable to our motorsport conversations.

That experience becomes particularly interesting towards the end of the episode, when we talk about Peter's rallying background. He has been involved in more than 1,150 events over a period of around 60 years. That is quite some career, and it is one of the reasons I am looking forward to exploring more rallying stories with him in future episodes.

Kimi Antonelli makes Formula 1 history

The biggest story from Mexico was always going to be Antonelli. We had been watching his championship campaign develop all season, but there is something different about seeing a driver actually secure the title. To do it at 20, and to become the youngest World Champion the sport has ever had, puts his achievement into a very special category.

I have been impressed by his approach for some time. There is a calmness about him that seems to stay with him whether he is in the car, speaking to the media or dealing with the pressure of a championship fight. Peter makes a good point in our discussion about the mental side of racing. Talent matters, but the ability to take in a huge amount of information and remain composed is just as important.

We also talk about the influence of his family, who have been involved in racing for years, and the development work Mercedes and Toto Wolff have put into him. For me, there are echoes of Lewis Hamilton in the way Antonelli has approached his early career. His relationship with his race engineer, Bono, is another part of the story. Bono helped Hamilton through so much of his success at Mercedes, and there are already signs of a strong partnership developing with Antonelli.

I think the really interesting question now is what comes next. Can Antonelli become the driver who takes over from Verstappen as the dominant force in Formula 1? Could we have a genuine rivalry between the two of them over the next few seasons? It is too early to know, but it is an exciting prospect.

George Russell and Mercedes have some questions to answer

The contrast with George Russell could hardly have been greater. Mexico was another difficult weekend for him, and we discuss how much of that came down to the driver, the car or the pressure that has been building throughout the season.

The start was a particular problem. Russell appeared to lose out through battery deployment, dropping positions before he had properly got into the race. We talk about how important the preparation of the car is under the current hybrid regulations and why these problems are becoming increasingly difficult to explain after so much time in the cockpit.

There was also contact with Isack Hadjar and a ten-second penalty, which made an already frustrating race worse. I was also critical of Russell's decision not to face the media afterwards, although we acknowledge that there was more context to the situation. Russell has dropped to fourth in the Drivers' Championship, behind Antonelli, Verstappen and Hamilton. The question for Mercedes is how they help him recover, because the team needs both cars performing consistently if they are to keep winning.

Ferrari, Hamilton and Leclerc: a missed opportunity?

Ferrari provided another major talking point. Hamilton took his first pole position for the team, putting himself in a strong position to challenge for victory. He eventually finished second, but I came away feeling that Ferrari could have made much more of the weekend.

The opening-lap fight between Hamilton and Leclerc was central to our discussion. Both drivers were fighting hard, Leclerc ran off track and Hamilton was caught up in the incident. Verstappen took advantage and moved into the lead of the race. Leclerc received a five-second penalty, but Peter and I discuss whether Hamilton could also have given the situation more room.

I do not think it is as simple as blaming one driver. There has been too much internal fighting at Ferrari this season, particularly when both cars have been in a position to challenge for a win. They need to work together rather than turn every opportunity into a battle between team-mates. Peter makes an interesting point about Leclerc having been the established driver before Hamilton arrived. That dynamic may have changed, particularly as Hamilton's experience and technical input have become more influential. Leclerc is still an exceptionally capable driver, but I would like to see him and Hamilton settle into a partnership that helps Ferrari rather than costs them points.

We also talk about what a Ferrari championship would mean for Hamilton. There is a reason so many great drivers have wanted to race for Ferrari during their careers. It is about more than statistics. The name, the history and the feeling around the team still carry enormous weight.

Cadillac, Hirakawa and the midfield battles

Cadillac had another difficult weekend. Valtteri Bottas suffered a serious suspension failure that brought out the red flag, and we discuss how worrying it must have been for the team to experience another major problem. Cadillac have started from a very different position to teams that have taken over an established operation. They have had to build from the ground up, but the lack of pace and reliability is still disappointing.

Peter also brings an interesting technical perspective to the discussion. Modern Formula 1 cars are hugely complicated, and getting individual components to work together as a complete aerodynamic package is a significant challenge. It is one thing to design a part that works in isolation. It is another to make sure it works with everything around it.

One of the more positive stories was Ryo Hirakawa, who stepped into the Haas for his Formula 1 debut and impressed us. He showed that experience in other forms of racing can translate into a strong performance at this level. We discuss his potential opportunities and whether he could become a more permanent part of the grid.

McLaren are another team we spend time on. Lando Norris finished fifth, while Oscar Piastri's season has become a difficult contrast to the form he showed previously. I have been surprised by how much Piastri has fallen away. Norris has made the most of the opportunities available to him, but the car's race pace has not always been where the team needs it to be.

We also get into Isack Hadjar, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad. I rate Hadjar's racecraft and think he has shown plenty of potential. Lawson has had a difficult path through the Red Bull driver programme, but I still believe he deserves credit for what he has achieved. Peter and I discuss whether Racing Bulls should keep its current pairing or make room for another young driver. For me, the relationship between Lawson and Lindblad looks useful, and I would be reluctant to disrupt it without a very good reason.

Verstappen's win and the Red Bull recovery

Verstappen's victory was a reminder of how quickly Red Bull have turned things around. Earlier in the season they looked a long way from their usual level. Now they are back winning races, and Max's performance in Mexico was another example of how effective he can be when the car is working for him.

I have also noticed a change in his approach. He seems more relaxed than he did in previous years, while still having the determination to win. Peter and I talk about the influence a leading driver can have on the whole team, not just through what happens behind the wheel but through the way they help drive progress.

Laurent Mekies deserves credit for the job he has done at Red Bull. The team has been through a period of uncertainty, but it looks much more settled now. We also discuss Christian Horner and the speculation around his future. Peter has his own thoughts after seeing Horner speak recently, and we consider whether there is an obvious place for him in Formula 1 if he wants to return.

Alpine also comes under scrutiny after a weekend affected by post-race penalties. There were yellow-flag infringements to discuss, and the consequences were significant for the final classification. It is a frustrating situation for a team that needs every point it can get.

Mexico City Grand Prix 2026: the official top 10

The race result below uses the final Formula 1 classification after the post-race penalties for Oscar Piastri, Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly. Hirakawa was therefore promoted into the final top ten.

Pos	Driver	Team	Time
1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	2:20:28.772
2	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	+0.799s
3	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	+4.006s
4	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+10.707s
5	Lando Norris	McLaren	+11.778s
6	George Russell	Mercedes	+12.263s
7	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	+20.899s
8	Gabriel Bortoleto	Audi	+22.041s
9	Isack Hadjar	Red Bull Racing	+22.503s
10	Ryo Hirakawa	Haas	+25.373s

The 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship

Antonelli has already secured the 2026 Drivers' Championship. The table below shows the top ten after the Mexico City Grand Prix, Round 19, and ahead of the São Paulo race on 8 November. Antonelli leads Verstappen by 119 points.

Pos	Driver	Team	Points
1	Kimi Antonelli (Champion)	Mercedes	380
2	Max Verstappen	Red Bull Racing	261
3	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	259
4	George Russell	Mercedes	250
5	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	245
6	Lando Norris	McLaren	221
7	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	144
8	Isack Hadjar	Red Bull Racing	107
9	Liam Lawson	Racing Bulls	83
10	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	42

Looking ahead to Brazil

We finish the episode by turning our attention to the São Paulo Grand Prix. Both Peter and I put Antonelli in contention for the win, while our views differ on who will take pole position and the fastest lap. Peter favours Verstappen for pole, while I go with Antonelli. We both have Hamilton in our predicted podium, which says a lot about how encouraged we were by his performance in Mexico.

These are the predictions we made during the recording, before the Brazil race weekend. They are part of the episode's conversation rather than an updated forecast. There is plenty more to come from Peter as well. With more than 1,150 rally events behind him and six decades of experience, he has stories and insight that reach well beyond Formula 1. We are already looking at future episodes that will give rallying the attention it deserves.

For now, the big question is whether Antonelli can build on his first title, whether Verstappen can keep Red Bull's recovery going and whether Ferrari can finally get its two drivers pulling in the same direction. That is where Peter and I leave the conversation, and there is plenty to look forward to.

Listen to the episode of The Motorsport Files for the full discussion.

If you enjoy our Formula 1 race reviews, motorsport conversations and stories from across the sport, subscribe to the TMF newsletter at www.themotorsportfiles.com. It is the best way to keep up with new episodes, future features and more from The Motorsport Files.

Race classification: Formula 1 official Mexico City Grand Prix results. Championship positions: Formula 1 official 2026 Drivers' Standings.

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