Antonelli can clinch the title in Austin, but wants to keep winning

Antonelli could secure the world title in Austin: a win in two weeks would make him champion mathematically if Hamilton finished sixth or lower and Russell ninth or lower. He leads Russell by 102 points with six rounds remaining. The route to the title is clear, but the outcome also depends on the results of his two rivals.

The opportunity comes after a demanding spell. This season, Sepang and Singapore brought him the most difficult feelings of the year. He nevertheless came away with second and third place, respectively, taking advantage of rivals’ problems or retirements. His ability to recover and remain competitive in those circumstances has been praised.

The difficulties went beyond how the car felt. The new aerodynamic package, which arrived in Malaysia, is not yet understood by the team, and Antonelli has warned that he does not want this pattern to continue. “Overall, I’m happy with the work we’ve done, considering how we started the weekend, which was not promising at all,” he said after the race. He also called third place a good result given the problems with the new package. In his view, the team stayed calm, looked for a way forward and put the car in its best operating window, even though it has not yet reached the level it wants.

Speaking to DAZN F1, he also mentioned a brake problem and track limits being exceeded too often. He acknowledged that he needs to leave himself more room in future, joking that he might have to raise his seat to see better.

The prospect of an immediate title has not changed his ambition. “I want to finish in style. I don’t want to finish with a mediocre result,” he told ESPN. He intends to keep pursuing wins and end the season “on a high”, even if the championship has already been decided. Austin could therefore prove decisive in the standings, but the Italian says he plans to approach what follows with the same level of ambition, whatever the title outcome.