Kimi Antonelli has won his first Formula 1 race, and he could barely hold it together on the podium.
The 19-year-old Mercedes driver dominated the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on Sunday, leading from pole position to the chequered flag to seal a commanding Mercedes one-two finish. Teammate George Russell followed him home in second, with Lewis Hamilton completing the podium in third — his first rostrum since joining Ferrari.
Antonelli was visibly emotional after the race. “I’m speechless, I’m about to cry to be honest,” he said. “These tears are not just for the race win, it’s years of hard work being fulfilled today.”
At 19 years and 202 days old, he becomes the second-youngest driver ever to win a Grand Prix, behind only Max Verstappen’s famous 2016 Spanish GP win at age 18. He’s also the first Italian to win a Grand Prix since Giancarlo Fisichella back in 2006.
Antonelli had already made history in qualifying, setting a lap of 1:32.064 to become the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history. He then converted it into a race win by around five seconds — a composed and mature drive from someone still in just their second F1 season.
It’s worth noting that both McLarens failed to start, which reshuffled the pack — but Antonelli’s performance left little doubt about his pace.
Hamilton, the veteran he replaced at Mercedes, was there on the podium to congratulate him. It made for a poignant moment — the old guard watching the new one announce himself to the world.
Antonelli stepped into one of the toughest seats in F1 when Hamilton left for Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season. He’s been making the case ever since that the team made the right call keeping faith in him. Sunday in Shanghai was the loudest statement yet.
