Kimi Antonelli moved to the brink of a historic maiden F1 world championship with a commanding victory at the United States Grand Prix, as the Mercedes driver dominated proceedings at the Circuit of the Americas.
The Italian converted pole position into his ninth win of the season, finishing over 13 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, with Max Verstappen completing the podium for Red Bull.
Lewis Hamilton narrowly missed out on third, while George Russell's eighth-place finish ensured Antonelli must wait until Mexico for his first opportunity to seal the title.
Antonelli now holds a 123-point advantage over Russell with five races remaining, putting the 20-year-old within touching distance of becoming the youngest world champion in F1 history.
Verstappen, meanwhile, was left frustrated by communication problems at Red Bull, while team-mate Isack Hadjar lamented a missed podium opportunity after finishing sixth.
Further back, reigning champion Lando Norris finished fifth, Oscar Piastri endured another difficult afternoon in seventh, and Liam Lawson collected two valuable points for Racing Bulls as speculation continues over his future within the Red Bull organisation.
Here's how the international media reacted to the United States Grand Prix, the 18th round of the F1 season!
🇬🇧 The Telegraph – 'I see Michael Schumacher in Kimi Antonelli's driving'
The Telegraph draws comparisons between Antonelli and seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher as the Italian closes in on his maiden Formula 1 title.
Former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has been particularly impressed by the 20-year-old's performances, believing his driving displays qualities reminiscent of the German legend.
Antonelli's ability to deliver under pressure, combined with his remarkable consistency throughout 2026, has established him as the outstanding driver of the season.
His dominant victory in Austin only strengthens the comparison, with the Mercedes youngster now requiring just two more points to secure the championship.
🇳🇱 De Telegraaf – Max Verstappen frustrated by Red Bull radio interference: 'A drama, maybe we should communicate in sign language'
De Telegraaf focuses on Verstappen's frustration with Red Bull's ongoing radio communication problems, which continued to cause difficulties during the United States Grand Prix.
The Dutchman described the situation as a 'drama', joking that he and his team might have to resort to sign language after struggling to communicate clearly over the radio.
Despite the problems, Verstappen secured third place, narrowly holding off Hamilton to claim another podium finish.
The incident nevertheless highlighted an issue Red Bull must resolve, particularly as reliable communication between driver and pit wall remains crucial during close battles on track.
🇮🇹 Gazzetta dello Sport – F1's paradox: Antonelli dominates, but behind him it's an all-out battle! What would the championship look like without Kimi?
Gazzetta dello Sport takes an alternative look at the 2026 championship, imagining how the standings would appear without Antonelli's extraordinary dominance.
The Italian publication calculates that Russell would lead such a hypothetical championship, with Hamilton just one point behind, Verstappen six adrift and Leclerc nine points off the lead.
It argues that Antonelli's nine victories have effectively removed the uncertainty from the title fight, masking what would otherwise have been one of the closest championship battles in recent memory.
With the Italian on the brink of securing the crown, Gazzetta suggests the fight for second place could become a championship in its own right, particularly with Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull so closely matched.
🇩🇪 Bild – 'Clearly audible on TV': Uproar during F1 podium ceremony
German publication Bild focuses on the controversy surrounding the podium ceremony at the United States Grand Prix, where Texas senator Ted Cruz was loudly booed by spectators as he presented the winner's trophy to Kimi Antonelli.
The jeers were clearly audible on the television broadcast, with Sky Sports commentator David Croft suggesting the reaction carried political significance ahead of the upcoming US midterm elections.
Bild highlights Cruz's close association with US President Donald Trump, noting that Austin is a predominantly liberal city despite Texas traditionally favouring the Republican Party.
The booing quickly turned to cheers once Cruz stepped away from Antonelli, although the senator appeared unfazed by the reception and later congratulated the Mercedes driver on his victory in a social media post.
🇫🇷 L'Équipe – Isack Hadjar after the United States GP: 'A shame to throw a podium in the bin'
L'Équipe highlights Hadjar's disappointment after a promising weekend ended with the Frenchman finishing sixth rather than challenging for a podium.
Having qualified third, Hadjar believed Red Bull possessed the pace to fight at the front, but problems at the start and following his pit stop severely compromised his chances.
The Frenchman was particularly frustrated that technical difficulties prevented him from capitalising on one of his strongest qualifying performances of the season.
Although he still secured eight valuable championship points, L'Équipe portrays the result as a missed opportunity for Hadjar, who felt a podium finish had been within reach.
🇳🇿 NZ Herald – Racing Bulls give another clue Liam Lawson's future is already sealed
The NZ Herald examines the growing indications that Lawson's future with Racing Bulls may already have been decided, despite no definitive public announcement about the team's 2027 driver line-up.
The opinion piece raises the possibility that the New Zealander's position within the Red Bull organisation is becoming clearer as the season approaches its conclusion.
Lawson strengthened his case with another points finish in Austin, taking ninth place after starting 10th and continuing to deliver useful results for Racing Bulls.
The article's central question is whether the team's recent signals suggest Lawson has already done enough to secure his future, rather than needing to prove himself over the remaining five races.
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding as they look back on the United States GP and look ahead to Mexico City! Red Bull's return of gearbox gremlins is a lead discussion, as is Kimi Antonelli being just days away from becoming world champion.
Rather watch this episode? Then click here!
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