Kimi Antonelli responds to the possibility of surpassing Sebastian Vettel's Formula 1 record.

Kimi Antonelli acknowledged that he has no recollection of Sebastian Vettel becoming the youngest world champion in Formula 1 while contemplating the chance of surpassing the German's record this weekend at the United States Grand Prix.

Vettel secured his first championship at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the age of 23, surpassing Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, and Lewis Hamilton in a thrilling four-way finale to claim the title of the youngest F1 champion. This record is at risk of being broken this weekend, with 20-year-old Antonelli poised to seize the championship in Austin. 

As he approaches the race weekend at the Circuit of the Americas, Antonelli holds a commanding 102-point advantage in the standings over his teammate George Russell. The Italian can secure his first title if he triumphs in the United States Grand Prix, Russell finishes outside the top eight, and Lewis Hamilton places outside the top four.

When asked during the press conference if he remembered the moment Vettel became the youngest champion and when he first recognized the possibility of breaking that record, Antonelli replied: "I don't recall that. I was only four years old. I apologize. I remember playing with Hot Wheels, but I don't remember him winning [the title].

"As I grew older, I later watched the race, which was quite remarkable because it was an incredibly tight title battle among all of you guys."

He continued: "I'm in an amazing position, but certainly this year, considering how things unfolded and how I felt in the car during the weekends and also with the momentum, I believed I had a chance to compete. Fortunately, I'm in a very favorable spot right now.

"However, I must keep pushing forward, and my mentality remains unchanged, which is to aim for the top and strive to win as much as I can. Whether I clinch the championship this weekend, next weekend, or in Brazil, we’ll see.

"It’s not over until it’s truly over, which is why my mindset will always be focused on winning whenever I hit the track. You want to finish the season strong to carry that momentum into the next year.

"This year, with the car we've developed, we've had such a robust vehicle, and the team is doing an exceptional job in evolving and understanding this new setup. The team has exerted every effort to provide us with a fantastic car and the chance to compete."

Photos from F1 United States GP - Friday