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Antonelli and Bottas Miss Mexico GP Media Day as Illness Hits F1 Title Contender
Kimi Antonelli and Valtteri Bottas missed Thursday’s Mexico City GP media duties because they were unwell, but neither absence was announced as a race withdrawal. The FIA excused Antonelli from media duties so he could rest; Mercedes expected him back Friday.
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Key takeaways
- Kimi Antonelli and Valtteri Bottas missed Thursday’s Mexico City GP media duties because they were unwell, but neither absence was announced as a race withdrawal.
- The FIA excused Antonelli from media duties so he could rest; Mercedes expected him back Friday.
- Antonelli entered Mexico 123 points ahead of George Russell and 124 ahead of Lewis Hamilton, with 125 points available across the remaining races.
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openai.comCreate a landscape editorial hero image for this Studio Global article: What is the situation ahead of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix regarding championship leader Kimi Antonelli’s viral illness and Cadillac dri. Article summary: Kimi Antonelli and Valtteri Bottas missed Thursday’s Mexico City Grand Prix media duties because of illness, but their teams expected them to participate in the race weekend. Antonelli remains on the brink of becoming F1. Topic tags: general, general web, news. Style: premium digital editorial illustration, source-backed research mood, clean composition, high detail, modern web publication hero. Use reference image context only for broad subject, composition, and topical grounding; do not copy the exact image. Avoid: logos, brand marks, copyrighted characters, real person likenesses, fake screenshots, UI text, readable text, watermarks, charts with fake numbers
Kimi Antonelli and Valtteri Bottas missed Thursday’s media duties ahead of the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix because they were unwell. Mercedes said Antonelli was recovering from a viral illness, and the FIA excused him from his mandatory appearance as a precaution so he could rest. Cadillac also said Bottas was ill, but neither team announced that its driver would miss the Grand Prix. 7
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What the teams said about the illnesses
Mercedes described Antonelli as feeling under the weather while recovering from a viral illness. The FIA granted him an exemption from Thursday’s media commitments to give him time to rest, and Mercedes expected him to return on Friday. 7
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Cadillac confirmed that Bottas would miss the day’s media activities because he was unwell. The team said his illness did not then affect his expected participation in practice, qualifying or the race. Cadillac did not specify the nature of his illness. 10
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The missed appearances were for media duties at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez—not confirmed withdrawals from the weekend’s racing. Reports said 20 of the 22 drivers attended Thursday’s media activities. 8
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Friday practice and driver substitutions
Mercedes expected Antonelli back on Friday, when the first practice session was scheduled for 18:30 GMT. 7
30 Separate reports said Frederik Vesti was set to take George Russell’s place in first practice and Colton Herta was set to drive Bottas’s Cadillac. Those were planned practice substitutions; they do not by themselves indicate that Russell or Bottas was ruled out of the Grand Prix.
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Antonelli’s route to the championship
Antonelli arrived in Mexico after winning the United States Grand Prix in Austin—his ninth victory of the season. He leads Russell by 123 points and Hamilton by 124, with 125 points still available in the championship. 13
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A top-nine finish in Mexico guarantees Antonelli the title, regardless of where Russell or Hamilton finish. If Antonelli finishes tenth, he can still clinch if Hamilton wins; if Antonelli scores no points, he can become champion as long as neither Russell nor Hamilton wins. 5
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At 20, Antonelli would become Formula 1’s youngest world champion if he secures the title. Sebastian Vettel’s record is 23 years, four months and 11 days. 5
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What is known about Cadillac’s 2027 lineup
Sergio Pérez has signed a Cadillac extension that keeps him with the team through at least 2029. Reports have described uncertainty around Bottas’s future and identified Herta as a possible contender for a Cadillac seat. The available reporting does not confirm a formal decision between Bottas and Herta for a 2027 seat alongside Pérez. 31
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What is the short answer to "Antonelli and Bottas Miss Mexico GP Media Day as Illness Hits F1 Title Contender"?
Kimi Antonelli and Valtteri Bottas missed Thursday’s Mexico City GP media duties because they were unwell, but neither absence was announced as a race withdrawal.
What are the key points to validate first?
Kimi Antonelli and Valtteri Bottas missed Thursday’s Mexico City GP media duties because they were unwell, but neither absence was announced as a race withdrawal. The FIA excused Antonelli from media duties so he could rest; Mercedes expected him back Friday.
What should I do next in practice?
Antonelli entered Mexico 123 points ahead of George Russell and 124 ahead of Lewis Hamilton, with 125 points available across the remaining races.
Sources
bbc.co.ukMexico City Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli to miss media day with illness
global.espn.comMexico City Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli to miss media day with viral illness
grandepremio.comAntonelli falls ill days before potential F1 title celebration as Bottas also misses Mexico media day | GRANDE PRÊMIO
speedcafe.comTwo F1 drivers struck by illness ahead of Mexico City GP