Kimi Antonelli stands on the brink of his first F1 World Championship title, and will start the United States Grand Prix from pole position, with the USA having proven a popular place for championships to be decided.

To date, nine different drivers have been crowned World Champion in the United States. While Antonelli faces an outside chance of clinching his first at the time of asking, he would not be the first to win the Drivers’ title in America. Let’s take a look at the others.

Jack Brabham

Year: 1959
Circuit: Sebring

The first title winner at the United States Grand Prix came in its first running at Sebring in 1959, with Jack Brabham having secured his first championship in dramatic circumstances.

With title rivals Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks unable to finish the race, Brabham’s Cooper car came to a halt just a mile from the finish. Wanting to make sure he crossed the line, however, the New Zealander got out and pushed his car the rest of the way to take fourth place on the day.

He would go on to win two further World Championships, in 1960 and 1966.

Jochen Rindt

Year: 1970
Circuit: Watkins Glen

Tragedy unfolded during the 1970 season, as a terrible crash for Jochen Rindt at Monza saw him lose his life, after an impact at the Parabolica during practice.

Rindt’s team, Lotus, withdrew all its cars from the race as a mark of respect, and as it later came to be, the Austrian’s five race victories in the first half of the campaign would be enough to see him named as Formula 1’s only posthumous World Champion.

The United States Grand Prix took place in somber circumstances, and the fourth-place finish of Jacky Ickx alongside other results saw the title secured.

Emerson Fittipaldi

Year: 1974
Circuit: Watkins Glen

Watkins Glen became a familiar latter-season feature for Formula 1 in its time on the calendar, and 1974 saw Emerson Fittipaldi win his second championship at that year’s finale.

Emerson Fittipaldi and Clay Regazzoni went into the race level on points, and the Brazilian’s fourth place was ahead in the straight fight on the day, as Regazzoni crossed the line 11th and struggling with handling issues on his car.

Niki Lauda

Year: 1977
Circuit: Watkins Glen

Niki Lauda completed his remarkable comeback to Formula 1 after his horrifying injuries at the Nürburgring in 1976 and, after heading to the wire with James Hunt, the Austrian wrapped up the title with two races to spare in 1977.

Again, fourth place was enough for Lauda to secure the championship on the day as Jody Scheckter was unable to claw back enough of the deficit he faced come the end of the race.

Nelson Piquet

Year: 1981
Circuit: Caesars Palace

While not under the United States Grand Prix name, the short-lived Caesars Palace Grand Prix outside the famous Las Vegas hotel closed two Formula 1 seasons and decided two World Championships in the process.

Only one point apart beforehand, Nelson Piquet and Carlos Reutemann were both in championship-winning positions throughout the 1981 edition of the race.

However, Reutemann slowly slid out of the points from a pole position start, while fifth for Piquet was enough to see him leapfrog the Argentine by one point at the end of the season closer.

Keke Rosberg

Year: 1982
Circuit: Caesars Palace

Keke Rosberg matched Mike Hawthorn’s 24-year-old record in Formula 1 by winning a title after taking just one race victory in their championship-winning season, showing consistency is key.

With he and John Watson in contention in the season finale, victory for Watson would have put him level with Rosberg’s pre-race total and champion on countback. However, the Finn dutifully crossed the line fifth to secure the points he needed to take the title.

The 1982 season also saw previous championship leader, Didier Pironi, seriously injured at Hockenheim. He never raced in Formula 1 again after severe leg injuries. His 39-point tally was still enough to finish the year as runner-up to Rosberg in the standings.

Lewis Hamilton

Years: 2015, 2019
Circuit: Circuit of The Americas

The in-team rivalry at Mercedes was simmering as Lewis Hamilton ended Nico Rosberg’s hopes with three races to spare at the Circuit of The Americas in 2015.

Hamilton’s 10 victories to three for Rosberg by that stage was enough to get the Briton over the winning line in 2015, and did so again in Austin in 2019, with second place behind Valtteri Bottas being enough to win his second title in the States – the only driver on this list to clinch more than one while Stateside.

Max Verstappen

Year: 2024
Circuit: Las Vegas Strip Circuit

Las Vegas joined Formula 1’s rapid US expansion in 2023, and Max Verstappen did enough in 2024 to secure his fourth World Championship in succession.

Verstappen and Red Bull capitalised on strong form through the early half of the season to build a healthy championship lead, and despite the best efforts of the likes of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc, Verstappen kept putting in strong enough performances to see him over the line in Sin City with a fifth place finish.