Kimi Antonelli Winning F1 Title at United States GP Will Be “Really Bad”: Mercedes Deputy Team Principal

Kimi Antonelli could face an unusual podium celebration if he wins the Formula 1 drivers’ championship at the United States Grand Prix. At 20, the Mercedes driver is below the legal drinking age of 21 in the U.S., so he cannot drink traditional champagne during the celebrations.

However, the bigger concern for his team is why a title win in Austin would signal a disappointing race for Mercedes. The Silver Arrows’ deputy team principal, Bradley Lord, explained the situation ahead of Sunday’s race.

“Ultimately, for Kimi to win this weekend, it means the team’s had a really bad race,” Lord told RacingNews365.

While Antonelli could make history in Texas, the team would prefer both drivers to finish strongly rather than depend on a poor result from George Russell.

Why Mercedes Does Not Want Kimi Antonelli to Win the Title in Austin

Antonelli entered the United States Grand Prix weekend with a 102-point lead over teammate George Russell. However, he needs a specific combination of results to secure the championship in Austin.

Antonelli must win the race, while Russell finishes ninth or lower and Lewis Hamilton finishes fifth or lower. If those results occur, the 20-year-old would become the youngest world champion in F1 history, beating Sebastian Vettel’s record of 23 years and 134 days.

Lord explained that Mercedes wants both drivers to score strong points rather than depend on Russell finishing outside the top positions.

He said, “It’s a very minimal chance. It’s theoretically possible, but in practical terms, this isn’t the match-point weekend, and we’ll just try and get out there, get as many points as possible, and then see when the maths start to come towards us a little bit more.”

The team will therefore focus on its overall race performance instead of treating Austin as the expected title-deciding event.

During Friday’s second practice session, Antonelli finished second, just 0.043 seconds behind Charles Leclerc. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris also showed strong pace, suggesting that Mercedes could face a close battle against Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren.

F1 Might Adjust Podium Celebrations for Kimi Antonelli

Antonelli’s age also affects how he could celebrate a podium finish in the U.S. The legal drinking age is 21, which means the Italian cannot drink traditional champagne during the celebrations.

Formula 1 has already provided an alternative for the young driver. At the Miami Grand Prix earlier this season, Antonelli celebrated with a non-alcoholic drink instead of champagne. The same arrangement could apply in Austin if he reaches the podium.

Other countries have different rules for alcohol consumption. Japan sets its legal drinking age at 20, while Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi use sparkling rose water instead of champagne during podium ceremonies due to local cultural and religious customs.

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