Italy could be facing one of the most important seasons in its recent Formula 1 history.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has just turned 20, but after fourteen Grands Prix of the 2026 World Championship he is at the top of the standings with 292 points, Well 81 more than teammate George Russell, second with 211 points.
And after the victory achieved on the new Madrid circuit, the dream is becoming increasingly concrete.
Antonelli has conquered eight wins in the first fourteen races of the season and there are still nine Grands Prix to go until the end of the championship.
Antonelli also wins in Madrid
On September 13, the Italian Mercedes driver won the first Spanish Grand Prix held at the new Madrid circuit.
Antonelli crossed the finish line ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, further increasing his lead in the world championship.
A victory that came just a week after his success in Monza and which further strengthened the Italian's position in the title race.
The most impressive fact remains the accumulated advantage: 81 points on Russell when there are nine events left in the season.
Russell is on 211 points, followed by Lewis Hamilton on 191 and Lando Norris on 186. Antonelli, on 292 points, has therefore built a significant margin not only over his teammate but over all his pursuers.
The World Championship isn't mathematically decided yet. With so many races still to go, retirements, technical problems, and poor results can quickly shift the balance of power.
But Antonelli is now in the best possible position: he's no longer forced to win every Sunday. He can start managing his advantage.
Sebastian Vettel's record may fall
The youngest world champion in the history of Formula 1 it's still Sebastian Vettel.
The German won his first title in 2010 with Red Bull at the age of 23 years and 134 days.
Antonelli could lower that record by more than three years.
It would therefore not simply be the first world title of his career: it would become the youngest world champion in the history of Formula 1.
An enormous achievement for a driver who only a few years ago was considered one of the most promising talents in Italian motorsport.
Today it is no longer just a promise.
He's the driver to beat.
How close are we really to the title?
Nine Grands Prix mean there is still a long way to go.
The next goal will be to continue collecting points without giving his opponents a chance to re-open the championship. With a lead of over 80 points, Antonelli can afford to suffer a few less impressive results while still maintaining control of the standings.
Antonelli needs a maximum of 153 points to mathematically secure the title, but the World Championship could be over as early as Singapore.
Russell and his other rivals must start making up points quickly, while for Antonelli, every race finished ahead of his main rivals represents another step towards the title.
The next match will therefore be crucial not because it can necessarily hand them the World Cup, but because it could make their opponents' comeback even more difficult.
Meanwhile, in Italy, anticipation is growing.
Formula 1 has had great Italian champions, but the country has been waiting for its own world champion for a very long time.
The last Italian driver capable of winning the title was Alberto Ascari in 1953.
Seventy-three years later, a boy from Bologna could bring the Tricolore back to the roof of Formula 1.
And he could do it while simultaneously becoming the youngest world champion the sport has ever had.
