It was a day of high jeopardy 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 if not the total fulfilment of his title ambitions. Not yet. That will inevitably come.

Antonelli indicated to his team-mates that he had enjoyed the ear-splitting fly-past that had drowned out the last strains of the national anthem performed in the pre-race rituals. The words, ‘Home of the brave,’ were not audible under 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 won by more than 13 seconds from 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.

That first left-hander, a tight one, was his first 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.

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

What a relief for Antonelli, for 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, and then returned the compliment, repassing the Monegasque well.

Briefly on the mathematics of this, this was a key element of the afternoon, playing into whether Antonelli could take the crown here and now.

This was complicated by the uncertainty over the 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 could tell. How will Iran act over the next few months? Or the Houthis by proxy? Or The Donald after mid-term elections on November 3 (a contest incidentally fighting with Big Pharma for advert space on network TV 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 up for the morgue.

So this was the scene. And in brief flickers it looked as if Antonelli might pull off his dream. Hamilton was largely running fourth, which is where he ended up. He had made a decent start and went on to finish fourth, now 124 points back.

That 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.

It is inevitable that the Mercedes star will become F1’s youngest ever champion very soon

As for Russell, he finished the day in eighth and only theoretically in the fight – 123 adrift with only those maximum 125 available, and even that looked unlikely 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 came out 10th, albeit behind two cars, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson neither of whom had stopped. He clambered his way to finish where he needed to stay in the contest, supposedly. But it was a poor afternoon, 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 Antonelli, celebrating his ninth victory in 18 races.

His future is uncertain, how he rebuilds, after such high hopes at the start of the year, given that he needs to rebuild.

Antonelli’s father Marco, however, could sip the champagne in the Mercedes hospitality area as dusk closed in here, well assured that in Mexico City his boy will be crowned champion.

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.