Kimi Antonelli will sit out Thursday's media obligations at the Mexico City Grand Prix as he battles a viral illness, with the Mercedes driver hoping to recover in time for Friday's opening practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
According to Sky Sports, the 20-year-old Italian is in a position to clinch the world championship this weekend, needing only a top-nine finish to become Formula 1's youngest ever champion and surpass Sebastian Vettel's previous record by three years.
Mercedes confirmed the situation in a statement:
Kimi is feeling under the weather today as he recovers from a viral illness. As a precaution, the FIA have excused him from his mandatory media duties to give him the chance to rest head of the weekend. We expect him to be back tomorrow.
The timing of the illness comes at a critical juncture in Antonelli's remarkable campaign. The Mercedes driver won the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 25, extending his championship advantage and moving to within touching distance of the title. After his Austin victory, Antonelli held 365 points to George Russell's 242 and Lewis Hamilton's 241, with a commanding 123-point buffer over his Mercedes teammate and 124-point lead over the seven-time world champion.
Antonelli's ninth victory of the season in Texas came after he started from pole position and executed a one-stop strategy to dominate the race. Charles Leclerc finished second and Max Verstappen completed the podium in third place.
The illness represents an unwelcome distraction for Antonelli as he prepares for what could be the most significant weekend of his career. His transformation from a struggling rookie in 2025 to championship contender has been widely praised within the paddock, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff crediting the Italian's mental resilience and the new technical regulations for his extraordinary turnaround.
The Mexico City Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, November 1, 2026. Should Antonelli finish in the top nine, he will secure the world championship regardless of other results. Any finish outside the points would leave the title race open if either Russell or Hamilton wins the race.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, October 30: Practice One begins at 6.30pm, followed by The F1 Show at 8pm, the Team Bosses' Press Conference at 9pm, and Practice Two at 10pm.
Saturday, October 31: Practice Three starts at 6.30pm, with Qualifying build-up at 9pm and the main Qualifying session at 9pm, followed by Ted's Qualifying Notebook at 11pm.
Sunday, November 1: The F1 Academy Race 3 begins at 5pm, with Grand Prix Sunday build-up at 6.30pm and the main race at 8pm, concluding with Chequered Flag reaction at 10pm and Ted's Notebook at 11pm.
The Mexico City Grand Prix is the second leg of The Americas triple-header and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1.
