Antonelli's sump damage nearly forced Mexico City retirement before title win

Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord has revealed that Kimi Antonelli came close to retiring from the Mexico City Grand Prix, where he clinched his maiden Formula 1 Drivers' Championship with third place. Lord said Antonelli reported power unit trouble in the closing laps, and inspection of his W17 after the race found the oil sump had cracked. Antonelli said he began to feel the engine struggle about four laps from the end.

Antonelli was not running in the top three for much of the 71-lap race until Charles Leclerc locked up under braking after a standing restart and was left with a flat-spotted tyre. Antonelli passed him into Turn 1 to take the podium place. Lord described it as the cleanest overtake of the day.

Antonelli would have won the title even without finishing, as neither George Russell nor Lewis Hamilton won the race.