Kimi Antonelli misses Mexico media day as F1 title beckons

Kimi Antonelli arrived in Austin with his first Formula 1 championship already within reach. The Mercedes driver held a 102-point lead over George Russell and needed to leave Sunday's race 125 points ahead to secure the title there, according to Guardian Sport.

Winning alone would not be enough. Before the race, Fanpage reported that Antonelli needed victory, Russell ninth or lower and Hamilton fifth or lower. His first opportunity to become champion depended on other results as well as his own.

On October 24, Antonelli took pole position at the United States Grand Prix, putting himself in the best starting position for that title attempt. Guardian Sport described his qualifying lap for Mercedes as hugely impressive.

On October 25, he converted pole into victory, but the championship remained unresolved. Sky Sports reported that his win brought him to the brink of becoming Formula 1's youngest world champion without securing the title that afternoon.

The result was his ninth Grand Prix victory of the season and gave him a 123-point championship lead, according to Autocar India. Charles Leclerc finished second, Panorama reported, while Max Verstappen was third, according to Telegraaf.

On October 26, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff called it Antonelli's best race yet. Guardian Sport reported Wolff's assessment that the drive was exceptional and that Antonelli had outperformed the car.

Reporting on October 27 offered a detail about the preparation behind that performance. According to Fanpage, Antonelli spent Saturday evening in an Austin restaurant studying videos of Verstappen's starts on his computer. The next day, he retained the lead from pole on medium tyres against his rival's soft tyres.

Antonelli's immediate concern is now his health. On October 29, Sky Sports reported that a viral illness would keep him out of Thursday's media day in Mexico City. Fanpage reported that Mercedes said he was recovering and that the FIA had excused him from his press commitments.

The championship remains his to finish. He needs only two more points, with five races remaining, according to nu.nl. Le Monde reported that scoring those points at the Mexican Grand Prix on November 1 would secure his first world title.

Most coverage identifies Antonelli as 20, including NBC News and ANSA. The supplied reports are not unanimous on his age: La Nacion described him as 19, while BBC Sport called him a teenager.

Friday practice is the next checkpoint. Mercedes expects Antonelli to return then, according to Rss, but that remains an expectation rather than confirmation that he is fit to drive.

Sunday's race offers two routes to the championship. Two points would settle it for Antonelli, according to Le Monde. He can also become champion if his teammate Russell does not win the race, Al Jazeera reported.