AUSTIN—The US Grand Prix carries all the usual strict rules of a Formula 1 race, with just one more, the legal drinking age is 21, and that might have changed the course of Formula 1 history forever.
Kimi Antonelli was set, by a small margin, to become the youngest Formula 1 World Champion in history until he was informed that he would only have sparkling water available to celebrate because he’s 20 years old.
“What do you mean? I’ve been drinking for years! Two of those legally!” said the future world champion with the always-recognizable Italian pinched hands. “So if I win here, what? You’re going to make me go eat pizza at Chuck E. Cheese?”
In order to clinch, Kimi needed a win and for Russell to finish ninth and Hamilton to finish fifth. Since Kimi has admitted it’s impossible for him to avoid winning, he asked Russell and Hamilton to finish one place ahead of those targets, just to be safe.
They did exactly that.
“He told me that if I finished eighth, he would teach me how he drives the Mercedes,” said the now clearly second driver, George Russell. “I don’t need him to teach me. I could have finished first, but I want to do something nice for the kid. You know I’m like his mentor, right?”
Hamilton declined to comment as he was looking for Jeremy Clarkson after he made comments about his girlfriend.
Now Kimi heads into the Mexican Grand Prix only needing to finish ninth or higher to clinch the World Drivers’ Championship.
Which means that now, in order to become the youngest world champion in F1 history,
he can party before, during, and after the race.
Drink responsibly.