Antonelli set for alcohol-free F1 podium option in Austin

Kimi Antonelli could become Formula 1 world champion at the United States Grand Prix, but any podium celebration in Austin would come without traditional champagne. At 20, the Mercedes driver is below the legal drinking age in the United States, where the minimum age is 21.

Antonelli arrives at the Circuit of The Americas with a 102-point lead over team-mate George Russell. He can secure his first drivers’ title this weekend; even without taking the championship, a podium finish would still require an alcohol-free drink.

F1 has already made the adjustment for Antonelli

The exact beverage planned for Austin has not been confirmed. Sparkling rose water is one possible substitute for the champagne usually used in podium celebrations, and Formula 1 has arrangements for drivers who cannot legally drink alcohol.

Antonelli faced the same restriction after winning the Miami Grand Prix in May, aged 19. He celebrated with an unbranded bottle of a non-alcoholic drink, allowing him to join the customary podium spraying. His title bid has drawn attention before, with Kimi Raikkonen backing him to become the youngest F1 world champion.

The United States will not be his only challenge this season. Japan’s minimum drinking age is 20, which also meant Antonelli could not legally drink alcohol there when he was 19.

The age limit also affects other races

The same US restriction will apply at the Las Vegas Grand Prix and, if he is still 20, at the Miami race in 2027. The source of the unusual podium scenario is therefore not a special F1 rule, but the local legal drinking age.

Other young drivers can face similar limits. Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad is also 19, although he has yet to reach an F1 podium.

At the Bahrain, Saudi Arabian, Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, podium celebrations already use rose water rather than alcohol. Those arrangements reflect local cultural and religious considerations and apply to every driver, including established champions such as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Austin could therefore bring an unusual twist to a milestone moment: if Antonelli wins the championship or reaches the podium, he can take part in the celebration with an alcohol-free alternative. For more on the weekend, see our United States GP tyre preview.