It was a day of high stakes and Kimi Antonelli’s father Marco kissed him on the forehead on the grid at the Circuit of the Americas.Antonelli, 20, was a little red in the face, nothing to do with any embarrassment at his dad’s tenderness, but perhaps a sign he was feeling the weight of history on this warm afternoon that yielded a huge win for him at the US Grand Prix, if not the total fulfilment of his world championship ambitions. Not yet. That will inevitably come.‘Another small step,’ purred his Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in acclamation over the team radio.Antonelli, trying to be as cool as possible, had indicated to his team-mates that he had enjoyed the ear-splitting flypast that had drowned out the last strains of the Star-Spangled Banner belted out in the pre-race rituals. The words, ‘Home of the brave,’ were not audible above the engine roar that rent the skies a second or two sooner than perfect choreography’s best-laid plans had dictated.And then Antonelli spoke to his engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington, a couple of manly hugs between them, and he stepped into the car, aiming to become the youngest title-holder ever in just a couple of hours.It was always going to be a tough task in Austin, where he was to go on to triumph by more than 13 seconds from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, but at least he had started where he would have chosen to. On pole and best placed to set about steeple jacking the wonderful first turn up the hill, with a new hospitality confection overlooking it and punters on the deep grass bank beside it. Kimi Antonelli won the United States Grand Prix to take another huge step towards the F1 title After qualifying on pole, the Italian kept his nerve to storm to a convincing win in Austin, Texas Charles Leclerc (left) and Max Verstappen (right) joined F1’s runaway leader on the podiumThat first left-hander, a tight one, was his principal challenge. He ruled danger out of the equation there, even with Verstappen, who came home third, sharing the front row of the grid. Antonelli was too fast away, and could take any line he chose, almost bang through the middle of the track as it turned out.What a relief for Antonelli, for Max Verstappen has been a master here, a four-time winner at COTA, and now the Italian had an element of control over the race.By then end of lap one, he was more than two seconds ahead of the Dutchman, who was passed by Ferrari’s Leclerc before repassing the Monegasque.Briefly on the mathematics of the title contest, which are complicated.This is owing to uncertainty over whether the scheduled final two races will go ahead in Qatar and Abu Dhabi at the end of November and beginning of December. Will they fall victim to war? Nobody can tell. How will Iran act over the next few months? Or the Houthis by proxy? Or The Donald after midterm elections on November 3 (a contest incidentally fighting with Big Pharma for advert airtime on TV networks here)?So if the schedule were to play out as Formula One bosses hope it will, with the Middle Eastern rounds still on, he needed to leave here 125 points in front.If they are yet to be called off, and Imola offered as the lone replacement, which is the stand-in option, reducing the existing schedule to just four rounds after Austin, he only needed to leave 100 points clear.His lead at the start over his demoralised team-mate George Russell stood at 102. Over Lewis Hamilton 111. Over Verstappen 119. Russell was starting sixth, his mental tyres proverbially punctured. Hamilton started fifth, not the best scenario for him behind his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc on a track where he has won five times in a country where he has won six times, the first occasion being in Indianapolis in his debut year at McLaren, 19 years and 20 seasons ago.To remain in the fight (based on the original roster of races) Russell had to finish eighth or better; Hamilton fourth. But, really, this was a case of them merely prolonging their agony. Their hopes were already destined for the morgue.So this was the scene. And in brief flickers it looked as if Antonelli might pull off his dream. Hamilton, though, was largely running fourth, which is where he ended up. He had made a decent start and is now 124 points back. It is inevitable that the Mercedes star will become F1’s youngest ever champion very soon His Mercedes team-mate George Russell endured a frustrating weekend, finishing in ninthThat means – and apologies for all these figures – to be certain of the title Antonelli now needs to finish ninth or higher in Mexico City next weekend, and only that is required if Russell or Hamilton were to win.As for Russell, he finished eighth and, like Hamilton, only theoretically in the fight – 123 adrift, and even that yawning margin seemed in doubt after an eventful opening lap.He ran off and then banged wheels with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. He was punished with a five-second penalty for the latter. And when he had served it, he came out 10th, albeit behind two cars, the Alpine of Pierre Gasly and the Racing Bulls of Liam Lawson, neither of which had stopped. He clambered his way to finish where he needed to stay in the contest, arithmetically. But it was a poor afternoon for him, one that summed up his miserable season, one that has seen him demoralised by Antonelli’s run to glory.‘It was the result we needed,’ said the winner, celebrating his ninth victory in 18 races.Despite his title glory being delayed, Antonelli’s father Marco could sip the champagne in the Mercedes hospitality area as dusk closed in here, well assured that his boy will be crowned champion in Mexico.If it’s not there, it will be in Brazil seven days later. Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi/Imola are just spares, laps of honour for Kimi, the kid blowing everyone away.