Key events<\/p>\n
Giles Richards had the privilege of watching this historic race. His report is here:<\/p>\n
Thanks for following along with us today, and congratulations to Kimi Antonelli<\/a>. Barely older than my second kid. Time flies.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n One of F1\u2019s charms is seeing the top three drivers sitting together and watching race highlights. They seem to agree a bit on the chaos of the start, and they gasp a bit at seeing the Bottas crash.<\/p>\n Imagine such a feature in the NFL. Or boxing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rosberg asks Hamilton about his day. He pauses before answering questions. \u201cFirst, look at this crowd. Congratulations to Kimi and his team.\u201d<\/p>\n He thinks he had to pace to win but \u201cit wasn\u2019t meant to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Other highlights of a very polite and yet pointed interview:<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll take it offline to see what we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLast year, I got a 10-second penalty for the same move. We have to have some serious talks behind the team, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m hoping next year we have an engine to compete with (Antonelli and others).\u201d<\/p>\n But he also hits a positive note when talking about Ferrari in general: \u201cI have 100% faith in them.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Verstappen: \u201cI was sweating at the end to try to keep Lewis behind.\u201d<\/p>\n Verstappen on Antonelli: \u201cWhat a season he had. To do that at such an age, I think, is really impressive. I\u2019m sure this is a very emotional day for him, and I\u2019m very proud of him.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Antonelli speaks with Nico Rosberg: \u201cI wouldn\u2019t be here without Mercedes, without my family. \u2026 I am speechless. I am trying to process what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n Rosberg asks what it\u2019s like to be alongside two multiple-time world champions: \u201cTo share this podium with Max and Lewis is truly incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis weekend, I did feel a little bit more tense, but I\u2019m just so happy we got it done, and now we can enjoy the rest of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes celebrates. Photograph: Manuel Velasquez\/Formula 1\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.42 EST<\/p>\n Verstappen pulls in for the award ceremony and immediately walks over to Antonelli\u2019s family to congratulate them and then Antonelli himself.<\/p>\n Teammate Russell runs up for a handshake and hug as well.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Final results, pending a couple of investigations a few places down from the top three.<\/p>\n 1 Verstappen DNF: Lindblad, Bearman, Bottas, Stroll, Alonso<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Antonelli lifts his visor and wipes tears from his eyes.<\/p>\n Kimi Antonelli celebrates winning. Photograph: Alfredo Estrella\/AFP\/Getty ImagesKimi Antonelli celebrates with his family in parc ferme. Photograph: Mark Thompson\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.35 EST<\/p>\n Kimi Antonelli wins the F1 championship!<\/p>\n It\u2019s Verstappen, Hamilton, Antonelli, Leclerc, Norris.<\/p>\n Kimi Antonelli crosses the chequered flag to finish third in the race and clinch the 2026 Formula One World Championship. Photograph: Daniel Becerril\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a017.30 EST<\/p>\n Lap 71 of 71: Hamilton hasn\u2019t had a chance to make a serious run at Verstappen. Norris tries a couple more times to pass Leclerc but can\u2019t.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 70 of 71: Leclerc is now playing Lucy to Norris\u2019 Charlie Brown. Norris gets so close through a few turns, and then Leclerc zooms away when the track is straighter.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 69 of 71: The top three have left Leclerc, Norris and Russell in the dust. Antonelli is surely enjoying these ceremonial laps before he is crowned champion.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 68 of 71: Norris has a go at Leclerc, but the Ferrari is just too fast, tire or no tire.<\/p>\n Stewards are looking at a Gasly\/Lawson incident.<\/p>\n Brief yellow flag to deal with debris.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 67 of 71: Stewards will take a close look at the Piastri-Lindblad incident after the race.<\/p>\n Russell is sitting behind the Leclerc-Norris battle, perhaps ready to pounce if they slip up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 66 of 71: Stewards are looking at the Piastri-Lindbland incident, but that\u2019d be harsh.<\/p>\n Nothing else has changed. Antonelli is six laps away from the championship.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 65 of 71: Hamilton is still showing no sign of overtaking Verstappen. Leclerc\u2019s tire is literally hanging by a thread, and he\u2019s still ahead of Norris.<\/p>\n Lawson is up to ninth.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 64 of 71: Verstappen stays ahead of Hamilton. Antonelli has breathing room in third. Leclerc is somehow still ahead of Norris.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Verstappen and Hamilton quickly open space ahead of Antonelli. Leclerc once again has Norris on his tail.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 63 of 71: The safety car\u2019s time comes to an end. Hamilton salivates behind Verstappen \u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 62 of 71: Unsung accomplishment of the day: Liam Lawson started on pit road. He\u2019s now in 10th, in the points. That\u2019s quite a drive.<\/p>\n Leclerc\u2019s tire seems to be in awful shape.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 61 of 71: Piastri asks if he has a little bit of damage or a lot of damage. The team says it\u2019s a \u201creasonable amount of damage.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 60 of 71: This crash doesn\u2019t appear to be as serious as the Bottas crash, so a red flag seems unlikely.<\/p>\n Replay shows Piastri pulled alongside Lindblad, who wound up running over Piastri\u2019s wheel.<\/p>\n Lindblad\u2019s car has come to rest against the wall without barrier damage, but there\u2019s a bit of debris to clean up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 59 of 71: Lindblad has hit the wall!<\/p>\n Yellow flag for now. Then a safety car.<\/p>\n Lindblad says he\u2019s OK.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 58 of 71: Now both McLarens are trying to pass –= Norris is still behind Leclerc, and Piastri has come up close to Lindblad.<\/p>\n But Russell is now just behind Norris.<\/p>\n Norris\u2019 team informs him that Leclerc has a flat spot on his tire. Norris says he already sees it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 57 of 71: The only scenario now in which Antonelli will not clinch the championship today would be if he has a catastrophic problem while Hamilton passes Verstappen. Or five cars in front of Russell disappearing from the earth.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 56 of 71: Norris is once again right behind a car that he just can\u2019t pass. The Ferraris, for all their costly in-fighting, have been pretty fast, so one would think Leclerc should be able to hold him off, yes?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 55 of 71: Verstappen yells something about the braking. The next time Verstappen complains about the car and then falls off the pace will be the first, as far as I can recall.<\/p>\n Sainz is under investigation for moving too soon on the restart.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 54 of 71: The gaps are opening up.<\/p>\n Hamilton is asking his team if they can look into Verstappen bumping into him. The stewards already did. His team doesn\u2019t think he has significant damage.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 52 of 71: Top 10 is Verstappen, Hamilton, Antonelli, Leclerc, Norris, Russell, Lindblad, Piastri, Colapinto, Gasly.<\/p>\n So the only changes in that bunch from the restart are Hamilton and Antonelli past Leclerc, then Lindblad past Piastri, which is surprising.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 51 of 71: Hamilton posts the fastest lap. Leclerc has complained of vibrations in the tires, and Norris nearly slips past him.<\/p>\n H\u00fclkenberg gets a 10-second penalty. He\u2019s already back in 16th.<\/p>\n Verstappen investigation is over, and he\u2019s OK.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 50 of 71: Verstappen noted for being out of position at the restart?? How many twists will this race have?<\/p>\n Antonelli posts the fastest lap but is still 1.3 seconds behind Hamilton.<\/p>\n H\u00fclkenberg did indeed make contact with Bearman,.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Lap 49 of 71: Fastest lap goes to Hamilton. There\u2019s no further investigation on the start.<\/p>\n Farther back \u2013 Bearman is out of the race, and H\u00fclkenberg is under investigation for the start. Are those notes related?<\/p>\n
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2 Hamilton
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3 Antonelli
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4 Leclerc
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5 Norris
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6 Russell
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7 Piastri
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8 Colapinto
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9 Lawson
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10 Gasly
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11 Bortoleto
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12 Hadjar
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13 Hirakawa
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14 Albon
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15 Sainz
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16 H\u00fclkenberg
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17 Perez<\/p>\n