Kimi Antonelli was really close to retiring from the Mexico GP after Mercedes found a serious issue right after the race.
Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and Kimi Antonelli shared one of the most memorable photos in Formula 1 history on the Mexico City Grand Prix podium — but it almost didn’t happen.
Antonelli finished third behind Hamilton and race winner Verstappen, becoming the youngest Drivers’ Champion ever at just 19 years old.
Verstappen and Hamilton have been the stars of Formula 1 for many years, so it felt special to see them welcome Antonelli as the new champion. Of course, they both hope to win the title again soon.
Antonelli was so emotional after the race, he could barely speak on team radio. At one point, he almost had to retire and wait until Brazil to celebrate his championship.
In the final laps, Hamilton and Verstappen were fighting for the win, with Antonelli comfortably in third. Fans might have thought Antonelli was playing it safe, but the Mercedes team was worried.
On the ‘High Performance Racing Podcast,’ Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord shared that Antonelli’s car had an oil leak. They found out after the race when they took the floor off the car.
“That was a close call,” said Lord. “The car was covered in oil. Something cracked, and Kimi felt the engine struggling about four laps from the end. He was really close to retiring, but the car held together, and he ended up on the perfect podium with Hamilton and Verstappen.”
One of Antonelli’s first tasks as world champ was choosing his driver number for 2027. Champions can use the number 1, but some choose to keep their usual number.
Hamilton kept 44, Verstappen and Norris switched to 1, and Rosberg retired before he could. Antonelli decided to stick with number 12.
“I’m staying with 12 because it’s special to me,” Antonelli said. “My hero Ayrton Senna used it too. It helps me stay humble and gives me a fresh start to improve. Plus, I’m superstitious—number 1 has never brought me luck, so I’m happy to keep 12!”