Antonelli to 'just have fun' as he aims for title

Antonelli, who has won eight out of 17 races so far this year, is 102 points clear of Russell and 111 ahead of Hamilton.

If he leaves Austin 125 points ahead of any other driver, he will become champion.

"Just try to do the best I can every race weekend and then we'll see," he said. "But of course, if I do things well, then the result will come."

Antonelli, who would become the youngest champion in F1 history, said winning the title was "something I've dreamt of since I was little".

He added: "Already to find myself in such a position is incredible. But at the same time, I need to keep going, keep pushing and it's not over yet. So first we'll try to finish the job properly and then we can enjoy the rest.

"For sure, it will be an incredible achievement. But there's still a bit to go."

Many of Antonelli's rivals have expressed their praise for his achievements this year, singling out his improvement in his second season after a difficult debut year in 2025.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Haas driver Oliver Bearman and Red Bull's Isack Hadjar all said it was "quite impressive" to see the step forward he had made from one year to the next.

Hamilton, whose seat Antonelli took at Mercedes after the seven-time champion moved to Ferrari for 2025, has watched him develop since he was taken on to the Mercedes young driver programme at the age of 11.

Hamilton said: "He doesn't need any advice. He's shown this year and also last year, but particularly this year, just his talent and his ability, his calmness in approach.

"He's done an amazing job this year, and I'm so proud of him. I'm so proud of the way he's carried himself, how he interacts with the drivers, even with you guys (the media). And it's great to see him and the team excel. If it's not my team, I'd always say, I'd always want to see my old team do well."