Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli becomes youngest champion in F1 history at age 20

After crossing the finish line of the Mexico City Grand Prix behind race winner Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, F1 history-maker Kimi Antonelli placed his hands on the steering wheel and his voice cracked as he said, "We did it, we did it."

Although the 20-year-old Mercedes driver finished third in the Mexican capital on Sunday, he became the youngest champion in the history of Formula 1.

"Thank you so much, we did it, we did it, thank you so much ... thank you," Antonelli said on the team radio after securing the title with four races still left in the season.

Antonelli, the first Italian to win the title since Alberto Ascari in 1953, took an unassailable lead in the standings over teammate George Russell and Ferrari's Hamilton.

Sebastian Vettel was the previous youngest champion at age 23 in 2010.

Verstappen won the Mexico City GP for the sixth time.

"I would not be here, without Mercedes and my family, I am speechless just trying to process this," Antonelli said at the end of the race. "It has been an incredible season."

"For 73 years, our country has waited for this moment, and today an entire nation will celebrate one of its own reaching the very pinnacle of our sport," said Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.

"Today, his name joins the legends of our sport. A new chapter in Formula 1 history has been written, and I firmly believe this is only the beginning of an extraordinary legacy."

The race was stopped on lap 46 with a red flag after Valtteri Bottas crashed into the wall at the first corner, following issues with his right-side suspension.

Cadillac reported that the driver was given "further medical assessments as a precaution." Bottas had got out of the car unaided and waved to the fans before leaving the