Toto Wolff is already preparing to celebrate at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli just two points away from securing his first Formula 1 World Championship. However, while Mercedes appears increasingly likely to celebrate the Drivers’ Championship, Ferrari could still spoil the team’s hopes of a double title celebration, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc capable of delaying the Constructors’ Championship decision.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli has yet to secure the title mathematically, but there appears to be little superstition within Mercedes. Following the Italian driver’s victory in Austin, which brought the 20-year-old to the brink of becoming world champion, Toto Wolff has already started thinking about the celebrations after the Mexican Grand Prix. And judging by his plans, there will be no shortage of tequila.
Toto Wolff plans a tequila party as Andrea Kimi Antonelli approaches F1 title
Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard revealed an amusing behind-the-scenes conversation during the 26 October episode of the Up To Speed podcast.
“When I spoke to Toto after the race, he told me: ‘In Mexico, we’re going to have a tequila orgy.’ I replied: ‘I don’t like tequila, but I’ll see you at the afterparty,’” David Coulthard explained.
The championship situation certainly gives Mercedes reason to be optimistic. Andrea Kimi Antonelli needs just two more points to become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, and only a highly unusual sequence of results could prevent him from securing the title in Mexico.
However, there are still mathematical scenarios that could force Toto Wolff to postpone the celebrations, particularly if Ferrari manages to produce another strong performance.
How Andrea Kimi Antonelli can win the 2026 F1 title in Mexico
Following the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Andrea Kimi Antonelli leads the Drivers’ Championship with 365 points. George Russell is second with 242 points, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton sits just one point further back on 241.
With five Grands Prix remaining, a maximum of 125 points are still available. After the Mexican Grand Prix, that figure will fall to 100, leaving only the two British drivers with a mathematical chance of challenging the Mercedes youngster. Their opportunities, however, are extremely limited.
For Andrea Kimi Antonelli, finishing at least ninth in Mexico would be enough to secure the championship regardless of what his rivals achieve.
If the Italian finishes tenth and scores just one point, only a victory for George Russell could postpone the title decision until the Brazilian Grand Prix. A win for Lewis Hamilton would not be sufficient: the Ferrari driver could still equal Andrea Kimi Antonelli on 366 points by the end of the season, but he would lose the championship on the number of race victories.
The situation would change if the Mercedes driver finished outside the points or retired. In that case, a victory for either George Russell or Lewis Hamilton would keep the championship mathematically open. However, if neither British driver won the race, Andrea Kimi Antonelli would become world champion even without scoring a point.
To deny the Italian the championship altogether, either George Russell or Lewis Hamilton would also need to win every remaining Grand Prix while hoping that the championship leader collected virtually no more points.
The remaining Formula 1 championship points and title scenarios illustrate just how difficult it has become for either challenger to overturn the deficit.
Ferrari could delay Mercedes’ 2026 Constructors’ Championship celebrations
The situation in the Constructors’ Championship is considerably more complicated. Mercedes leads the standings with 607 points, compared with Ferrari’s 474, giving the German team a 133-point advantage.
It is a substantial margin, but not yet enough for Mercedes to secure the title in Mexico. In particular, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have helped Ferrari close the gap over the previous three Grands Prix, keeping the Scuderia mathematically in contention.
Ferrari’s improved competitiveness has become increasingly evident, with Charles Leclerc expressing confidence in the team’s chances of winning again in 2026 following his second-place finish in Austin.
To clinch the Constructors’ Championship at the Mexican Grand Prix, Mercedes would need to outscore Ferrari by at least 39 points. That would increase its advantage to 172 points, matching the maximum available across the final four rounds of the season.
In the event of a points tie at the end of the championship, Mercedes would prevail thanks to its superior number of race victories.
The two scenarios that would give Mercedes the constructors’ title in Mexico
Only two combinations of results would allow Mercedes to secure the Constructors’ Championship in Mexico.
- Mercedes finishes first and second: A one-two finish would deliver 43 points, meaning Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton could score no more than four points between them.
- Mercedes finishes first and third: A victory and a third-place finish would produce 40 points, leaving Ferrari able to score a maximum of just one point.
Any other combination would postpone the Constructors’ Championship decision until at least the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Therefore, for Toto Wolff to celebrate both world titles in Mexico, Mercedes would need not only an almost perfect performance from its drivers but also a disastrous weekend for Ferrari.
The Italian team’s recent progress, including its strong showing with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the United States Grand Prix, means Mercedes cannot automatically count on Ferrari failing to collect significant points.
Toto Wolff may have to wait for a double Mercedes celebration
With the Drivers’ Championship almost within Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s grasp, Mercedes has every reason to anticipate a memorable weekend in Mexico. The young Italian is on the verge of a historic achievement, and the mathematical requirements for securing his first world title are firmly in his favour.
However, the Constructors’ Championship remains a different matter. Ferrari still has an opportunity to prevent Mercedes from wrapping up both titles on the same weekend, even if the Scuderia’s own chances of overturning the overall deficit are extremely slim.
The tequila may already be ready for Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s coronation, but Toto Wolff will probably need a little more patience before celebrating the Constructors’ Championship as well.
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