No real F1 World Championship trophy in Mexico City.
The FIA has reportedly rejected a request from Formula 1 to bring the World Championship trophy to Mexico City for photographs with Kimi Antonelli. If the Mercedes driver clinches the title this weekend, only a digital representation of the trophy is expected on the podium.
According to Sport Bild, Formula One Management had asked for an exception that would have allowed the real trophy to be used for photographs should Antonelli secure the championship on Sunday. The FIA refused, insisting on maintaining tradition. The report adds that Formula 1 wanted the images partly because few people know what the trophy actually looks like.
Sport Bild Reports FIA Refusal on Trophy Exception
The request was reportedly aimed at press photographs. Formula 1 wanted the physical trophy available in Mexico City so that pictures of a new champion alongside it could be captured at the moment the title was decided. The FIA, however, stayed true to its tradition. As a result, Antonelli is set to leave Mexico without the trophy in his hands, even if he is crowned champion.
Instead, the trophy is expected to appear only as a digital projection on an LED screen at the podium of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Sport Bild describes this as the only option left for a likely title win in Mexico.
When Antonelli Will Receive the Real Trophy
The real trophy will be handed over at the FIA’s Prize Giving Ceremony on December 12, which is reportedly taking place in Shanghai. That is six days after the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi on December 6. Even if Antonelli wins the championship in Mexico, he will have to wait more than a month to hold the actual trophy.
The Mexico City Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, November 1, with the lights going out at 21:00 Central European Time. The race weekend also coincides with the city’s Day of the Dead celebrations.
Antonelli Closes In on the Formula 1 World Championship
The trophy debate exists because Antonelli is on the verge of a historic title. The 20-year-old Italian was unable to clinch the championship at the United States Grand Prix, even though he dominated that race from pole position for his ninth win of the 2026 season. After 18 races, he leads the standings with 365 points, ahead of George Russell on 242 and Lewis Hamilton on 241.
A finish in ninth place or better in Mexico is enough to make him champion. If neither Russell nor Hamilton wins the race, a lower finish would also be sufficient. Antonelli is therefore only two points away from the crown, and doubts about the outcome have all but disappeared.
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Calculations published before the race indicate that the title would only remain open after Mexico if Russell or Hamilton won every remaining round while Antonelli scored almost nothing.
A Record Within Reach in Mexico City
A title in Mexico would make Antonelli the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history. The previous benchmark was set by Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 when he won his first championship in 2010. Antonelli would also become the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said the title is as good as secured at 99.9 percent, while stressing that Antonelli still has to finish the race in Mexico. Antonelli himself is reportedly aiming for victory on Sunday rather than simply collecting the points he needs.
Illness Adds Another Storyline to the Title Weekend
Antonelli’s build-up has not been entirely smooth. He arrived in Mexico recovering from a viral illness, and the FIA excused him from his mandatory media duties on Thursday so that he could rest. He reached the paddock on Friday and said he was feeling better, though still tired. Mercedes deputy team boss Bradley Lord said he was participating normally in the team briefings.
His family is also travelling to Mexico for what could become a historic Sunday. His father, Marco, is due to fly out after attending an Italian GT Endurance finale at Mugello with his own motorsport team.
What the Trophy Decision Means for Title Celebrations
For fans, the decision means the image of a new champion lifting the real trophy on the podium will not happen in Mexico. The celebration will instead rely on a digital version, with the physical trophy reserved for the FIA’s prize-giving in December.
For Antonelli, the priority remains the race itself. A strong result at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez would end the title fight and write his name into the record books, trophy or no trophy. The FIA’s reported refusal does not change what is at stake on track, but it ensures the coronation will look different from what Formula 1 reportedly hoped for.
If the title is not settled on Sunday, four races would remain: Sao Paulo on November 8, Las Vegas on November 22, Qatar on November 29 and Abu Dhabi on December 6. Whenever Antonelli is confirmed as champion, the real trophy will wait for the ceremony on December 12.